Shadows: Tauradonna Drabble Collection
by Frozenheart7
Summary: [Shadows, a Collection of Tauradonna drabbles]: Inside you will find all types of drabbles involving Blake and Adam such as themed drabbles, anthologies of their characters, Alternate Universe, stories with some headcanons, fluff and smut. It's a compilation of old and discarded ideas that weren't long enough to write a one-shot, turned into drabbles.
1. Author's note

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Author's note:

Welcome, curious reader. If you are here that could mean that you are a Tauradonna lover like me or that you have read some of my other fanfics about Adam and Blake.

Lately, I had been having small ideas for One-shots, but I didn't want to write them because they were too short or just silly or too fluffy. That's when I started thinking about starting a Tauradonna Drabble Collection in Fanfiction.

I reused some old ideas from another Tauradonna projects, I used the short ideas that appeared randomly in my mind and made a list with drabbles that I would write.

Season Themed drabbles: Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Summer vacations…

Their character's anthology headcanons: Their days on the White Fang headquarter, childhood, experiences, missions…

Fluffy or Smutty drabbles: As petitions for some readers of other Tauradonna fanfics who had requested this kind of scenes but for the story I couldn't fit that type of content.

Requests from you: If you have an idea but you don't know how to write it (neither do I), I can try and write it for you.

Personal or community's headcanons about Blake and Adam: like for example, Adam having scars behind the mask like the Phantom of the Opera.

Short AU: At the moment I hadn't planned any of these because I already have Heavy is the Crown an AU with Tauradonna. But if some wild idea appears and I need to have a different context out of Remnant or the canon I won't doubt to use an Alternate Universe.

As you see, these drabbles will be very different one from each other. That also means that one might be K rated and another may have MA content. For that, **I will rate the drabbles at the very beginning and put a warning announcing which kind of content you should expect:** Violence, the death of a character, sexual references… So don't worry if you feel awkward with some themes, I will put a warning before the drabble begins and **you decide if you want to read it or not.**

That would be all, but before starting reading the first drabble (that's on the next chapter) I'd like to give you some advice:

If you are a Tauradonna shipper you might also like some Tauradonna stories and One-Shots I have written. If you click on my profile there you will find my introduction and the list of Fanfics I have with their respective summary. If you are an active reader or writer maybe you already had read my fics but if you didn't feel welcome to take a look.

Frozenheart7


	2. She is not a random game

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: She is not a random game

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** On their free day, the members of the White Fang spend their day resting and relaxing with their friends and fellow brothers of the organization. Adam is an amateur to the random games with their same rank brothers and the bets get higher and higher. Will Adam have the luck he needs to win the game?

 **Guest reviews (The others are answered Via PM):**

 **Guest: How about an AU where Blake is pregnant?**

Consider it added to the list. I hadn't planned anything involving paternity or children and it will be a challenge I accept. I will post it after I end posting the drabbles that I already have written.

 **Miko:** Hello! I'm glad to hear from other Tauradonna shippers that enjoy this kind of content.

 **Moonbreeze3:** I know, right? There are not a lot of Tauradonna stories and there are a lot of crack pairings that people write more instead of writing anthologies or about relationships between characters that actually interacted. Glad I know another fellow shipper.

Any requests and petitions and are welcome!

* * *

Sunday, the free day of the White Fang members on the Headquarters. The faunus rested during the morning, recovering all the lost sleep due to the training of the week. Then on the afternoons some of them went to the city or stayed in relaxing or interacting with their brothers and sisters in the organization. Blake wasn't an exception to this rule, she woke up near the midday and spent the afternoon reading peacefully in her shared room with Ilia. Sometimes she would accompany Amitola to the city but she disliked having to hide her faunus traits so on that occasion she rejected the invitation and stayed on the headquarter.

Blake was in a good mood so she decided to go outside her room and join the other trainees in the dining room. Most of the people were on the tables eating, chatting or playing board games but she decided to go to the bottom of the room, where there were big sofas perfect to lay in and read peacefully near the fireplace. The ambiance was not as peaceful as her room but she learned to go out of her comfort zone in order to make new friends and to not be the antisocial type. She ordered some tea and sat on a corner of the sofa, the most near to the fireplace as possible. Then opened her book to catch up on the new chapter.

Meanwhile, on the other side near the fireplace, Adam was playing Parcheesi and making bets with high quantities of money with other members of his same rank. He had seen his pupil by the corner of his eye, she was sitting on the sofa trying to read but possibly she wasn't. He smiled seeing how she was putting some effort to be one more of the organization and trying to socialize.

Adam looked at his watch, it was nearly time to supper. The dining room should be clean before dinner.

"I'm afraid this is the last round, gentleman." He announced.

"You haven't been lucky, Taurus. Ready to lose?" Said the lieutenant betting all the money he had collected.

Adam just smirked and also betted his remaining money, the other players did the same. This would be the definitive round. Everyone was focused on the game to win the pot, more lien than all of them together could win in a month.

Blake due to her cat ears couldn't help but hear the guy's conversation and bets. When the game started they began to be too noisy, she couldn't even focus on her reading. She tried to be tolerant for a while, but her head started hurting due to the effort she was doing to read.

"If Taurus rolls a five he will win the pot!" Yelled the lieutenant.

"You need a lucky charm, Taurus." Commented another player.

Belladonna, tired by the obnoxious yells of the men, got up from the sofa and went to the table.

"Excuse me." Started Blake, but was ignored. "Some of us find unnecessary shouting-..." Adam caught her by the waist with his arm.

Blowing the dice was considered a ritual for good luck on the Parcheesi, and Blake couldn't have arrived in a better moment. The last game, the decisive throw.

"Belladonna, you will have the honor to blow this throw." The bull faunus approached the dice to her lips.

"If I do it, will you stop shouting?" Taurus nodded. "Well, then."

His partner blew softly at the dice and he rolled it. The dice fell to the table, showing a triumphant five. Thanks to that, Taurus had won all the money his partners had bet. The players started shouting again, Adam included. The cat faunus gave up and left the dining room, she would continue reading in her room.

Adam collected all the lien he had won and left the game, being the absolute winner of the Parcheesi. He noticed that Blake was gone so he left the dining room to find her. He knew she would be locked inside her shared bedroom, he also knew that Amitola was in the city and she wouldn't return until midnight. So Blake would be alone. He knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. He heard Blake muttering an answer so he came in.

The cat faunus was laying on the bed, reading peacefully.

"Today I've won a lot of money thanks to you, my darling."

Blake finished her reading and got up to leave the book on the bookshelf. Her hands were shaky, Adam's presence made her shiver.

"Not thanks to me, Parcheesi it's a random game." She objected.

Taurus got closer to her, almost cornering her between him and the shelf. Blake's heart started racing and heavily beating.

"I'd like to show you my gratitude so I've thought about inviting you to a dinner."

Blake tried to control her emotions, Adam's proximity was overwhelming for her. She wasn't used to interacting with boys and less to spend time alone with them. The only thought of being on a dinner with him on a restaurant, like a date, made her blush and swat nervously. Not that she didn't wish it.

"That's not necessary, you owe me nothing."

Taurus put his hands between her head and took off his Grimm mask. Belladonna stated hypnotized at his handsome face, not that she hadn't seen it before but he still amazed her.

"It's just an excuse to invite you out." He confessed.

His hands went to her cheek and caressed it softly, his eyes observing carefully if she bothered that contact. She didn't seem to care, she even got closer to him.

"Are you flirting with me?" Finally managed to speak the cat faunus.

"Well, it's about time you noticed."

* * *

This first drabble was flirting themed but the other may show a more advanced state of their romantic relationship.

I have another Christmas themed but I don't know if I'll wait to post it until December. Otherwise, I have more drabbles planned meanwhile.

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles and all reviews are welcome, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions.

Please, I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

Frozenheart7


	3. Metoo

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: #Metoo

 **A/N:** Due to the popularity of this hashtag, sadly, I thought about making a story in the RWBY universe. And which better character to fit in this context than Blake Belladonna? I guess the summary isn't necessary, the title explains it all.

 **Guest reviews (The others are answered Via PM):**

 **Miko:** If you are looking for good smut I have two drabbles that you will love! But don't worry, I'll add a spicy touch to the pregnancy drabble.

 **Rating:** M

 **Warning:** This drabble contains violence and rape (I censored the last part because FF doesn't allow MA content).

* * *

I was in big trouble but it was either getting in trouble than kill innocent people.

In a mission I allowed some hostages to escape in order to prevent their imminent deaths. The problem was that I hadn't been alone in that mission and the other faunus of the White Fang didn't approve my mercy towards the human race. One of my partners told what I did to the Vale branch leader, someone that was known by his strict and extreme philosophies.

The meeting he was in finished and it was my turn to pass into his office and receive a punishment for my acts. Ilia told me that usually for disobedience, the punished were the ones to cook or clean the headquarter for a long amount of time. But my case was different, I didn't have a fight with a fellow brother of the organization, I had disobeyed concrete instructions I had from the Vale branch leader, Adam Taurus, the one that had no compassion towards humanity.

"Blake Belladonna, come in." He called from his door.

I got up from the uncomfortable chair I had been sitting in for almost an hour. My legs felt clumsy and my hands were shaking. I had been sweating for a long time. I had never been in trouble before and I was starting to doubt if this new White Fang I decided to stay in was my place.

I was the daughter of the former High leader of the White Fang, maybe that would reduce my punishment. But that idea vanished when I closed the door of the office behind me and I faced the monster. He had a mask with red Grimm motives painted on it, like the ones that the high-rank members wore.

He got up and I felt intimidated by his height and age gap between us. His facial expression didn't show any amiability.

"Sit." He ordered and I obeyed. "The lieutenant told me what you did."

"Sir Taurus, I had communicated my concern with that kind of activities to the lieutenant before. I feel uncomfortable seeing such violent acts in which I hadn't agreed to participate."

"Do you think that the humans thought about this when they hunted us just by who we are?"

He was trying to grow a hate seed in my heart but I was too kind and young to engender those corrosive emotions.

"I doubt it."

"So? Is it worth it? You joined the White Fang for a reason."

"But I don't want to kill innocent people."

He slammed his fists against the table. I jumped frightened from my seat due to the impact.

"Innocent?! You should retire this words before I get really upset." He warned.

I swallowed my saliva and tried to calm the sudden heartbeats that he could almost hear the loud noise each of one was making.

"Sir Taurus I just came here to assume the consequences, not to discuss my ideas."

"Such disobedience plus this insolence will have serious consequences, young lady. How old are you?"

"I'm thirteen years old."

He got up from his seat and walked to the door. I didn't dare to look behind me, I just heard the sound of the key locking the door. A few moments after, I had his gloved hands on my shoulders, sensually stroking them. I had goosebumps.

"At least you are willing to take the cost of your actions." His tone had changed, his voice was lower.

He returned to his seat and I sighed with relief, my breath trembling and weak due to the tension. He retired the pillow from the chair before sitting and with his finger, he called me. I got up and stood in front of him, the table as a barrier, separating us.

"Come here, my darling. Stand before me."

I obeyed and I stood before him. Even though he was sitting, I was still shorter than him.

"On your knees."

I kneeled out of pure instinct, still not knowing what else to do.

"I believe it's your first time."

"I have never been in trouble it's m-..." I stopped talking as he started to chuckle.

"Will you need the pillow so you don't hurt your knees? Or are you strong enough to endure the pain?" He said while chuckling.

I was clearly out of the loop. I thought he only asked to kneel before him to show him respect and apologize. His gloved hand caressed my cheek and brought my face closer to his thighs and I finally realized what he was talking about. I pulled myself off from his grip and got up. I ran to the door using my semblance but it was locked. When I turned I saw that he was holding the key.

"Are you searching for something perhaps?" He stood up.

I had to face the situation and catch the key to get up but I was terrified at the same time. Adam Taurus was someone who should be under arrest as he abused of his power and authority.

"Come here. Now." He ordered.

I shook my head. Then I kept trying to open the door with all my forces, he just chuckled.

"Give me the key!" I said after giving up.

"You will have it once I get what I want." He started walking towards me. "Then you'll be allowed to leave."

I was frozen in my place and I couldn't move as much as I wished it. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him. We wrestled but he overpowered me easily. I ended pinned down on the table, with its edge nailing painfully on my back. He slammed his lips against mines, then he descended down to my neck and chest where he licked and bit, leaving purple marks.

I screamed, resisted, used all my forces to resist his rough caresses but his hands were wrapped around my wrists and I could move. After a while, when he went to my stomach, I used my foot, kicking him between the legs. He yelled and I used those seconds of distraction to search for the key on his pockets. But the pain caused more anger and rage on him and brutally caught me by the neck and pushed me back to the table, this time facing the wood.

He put the weight of his body on my back and while immobilizing me, got rid of my white shorts and stockings. The struggling, screams, and resistance didn't change the fact that I was barely dressed and at his mercy.

"Naughty kitty…" He growled.

He slid down my panties and I knew that it was too late to stop him. The sound of the horrible belt unbuckling was the bell that announced the entrance to the deepest hell I had been and will ever be.

I noticed his bulge against my thighs.

"No!" I yelled, weeping and sobbing.

His hand tightened on the back of my neck and the other on my hips.

"Yes." He hissed.

He made his way and the only thing I could do was close my eyes as he abused me. He silenced my screams, used my body as he pleased and didn't stop until had marked me as his. All against my will.

* * *

 _I don't dare to read the text that I have written. I just click the post button but not before typing the following hashtag:_

 _#Metoo_

* * *

Hope none of you have experienced sexual harassment.

As you can see, the past drabble was fluffy and soft to make a contrast with this one. I think I will be doing this kind of mixed things for everyone can read what they like without having to wait too much.

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

Frozenheart7


	4. The creation of a monster

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: The creation of a monster

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** On a relaxing date, Blake and Adam encounter a gang of racist humans who try to blame them for a missing wallet. Both try to avoid the trouble but nothing goes as the planned. After that night and a traumatic experience, a wicked, dark and hate seed starts growing on Taurus' heart, making a monster inside and outside of him.

 **Warning:** Violence and angst, not explicit content but there can be mature references.

Also, I hadn't used the headcanon of Adam having scars behind his mask until now and I wanted to try it. Also, I changed the narrator, this time I'm using Blake's POV because it fits the drabble.

 **Answers to the guest reviews and petitions:**

 **Miko:** I know, I have been calling the kidnapping stuff since Volume 4 chapter 5 and it may happen but a volume after and maybe on the finale, because at this slow pace... Pray for Kali.

 **cupcake739:** Thank you! Hope you enjoy the others as well.

 **novichae:** I already have an idea for that, so consider it done. I'd also love to see a redemption arc in RWBY.

 **maiermaid:** Of course, dear. I even have a drabble planned with Beauty and the beast references to one scene but I'd love to write a Beauty and the Beast complete AU. I'll start it once I have posted all the other drabbles I have been petitioned and my own ideas have been posted.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Added to the list, expect blood. You know I love your ideas.

* * *

That night Adam and I went to a pub to relax from our strict routines on the White Fang. He knew the place, a bar, were faunus were welcome and served, but not too clean and legal.

We had decided to go out. It wasn't my idea, he told me that I didn't know much about the world and that he would show me everything I needed to know in that terve too.

The smoke of the cigarettes of the customers filled the air. Adam was used to it but I wasn't, even though I didn't complain. I held his hand, following him between the crowd, like a child who fears to get lost in city streets. Somehow I felt protected beside him.

We arrived at the upper floor of the building, where they had pool tables. We went to the last on that was free, besides a gang of tough and drunk guys who started at us for being faunus. Of course, the fact that the owner of the pub allowed the faunus to came, it didn't mean that the customers did too.

He lent me a billiard stick, I took it.

"Do you know how to play?" He asked.

I shook my head, I had never stepped on a pub before and less played pool.

He explained how the game worked, rules and practiced a little bit with the stick. When I inclined my body to reach for the balls I felt the gang staring at me. I glanced back at Taurus, who was defying them with a rough look because they dared to stare blatantly at my legs and curves. That evening I chose a more revelatory outfit and I had my hair tied in a ponytail.

He was boneheaded so he approached me and helped me hold the stick properly, passing his arms around me, marking me as his. The guys seemed to catch the message. I was not going to lie, they seemed older and were far more intimidating than Adam. Luckily they kept playing their own game and left us alone.

I caressed Adam's hand that was ungloved this time. He glanced into my golden eyes and I did the same, staring back at him. Unconsciously, my hips leaned to his body as I was expecting more contact.

"Let's pay for another round." Proposed one man of the gang besides us. "Hey, I can't find my wallet!"

We snapped out of it and glanced back at the man who was frenetically searching for his wallet. Suddenly one of his friends pointed at us.

"Faunus! You stole it, don't you?" Accused with racist prejudices.

Adam chuckled. Of course, he hadn't stolen his wallet.

"Pal, I don't have your wallet, you can check me if you want." He replied with his hands on the air, showing that he had nothing to hide or be afraid of.

The man checked him, his jacket and pockets. Obviously, they didn't find it. Then their eyes were on me once more.

"Wait. We need to check your little kitten too." Said one with a mischievous smirk.

I had a goosebump before his hands could reach for me, Adam put his own on the man's chest, pushing him backward.

"She has nothing to do with this. I told you we didn't steal your wallet."

The man pushed him back too and soon started to argue and fight. I tried to stop them for they were five and Adam was just one. They had punched him on the face and on the stomach and fell to the floor where they kept kicking him.

"Stop! Stop!" I yelled in panic.

One of the gang turned and trapped my hands, making me walk backward until my back hit the edge of the pool table.

"Let him go!" I cried.

He ignored me and chuckled while turned me to make me face the table. He put my hands behind my back and immobilized me pushing my neck down.

I heard Adam whimper and scream in pain while the tough guy's hands touched all parts of my body. No inch of skin had been untouched by the filth man.

* * *

Adam had passed the rest of the month on his own dorm, locked inside. I only talked to him being on the other side of the door. He didn't want me to see him as he thought the scars of the fight made him look like a monster.

The sadness soon became hate and rage. He hated the humans and the isolation was his only solution for then. Of course, it didn't last forever.

I went to his room after dinner to bring him some food since he didn't eat much. Normally, he would tell me to leave it in front of the door so when I was gone he would take it. But this time I didn't plan to make it that easy.

I wanted to see him, I needed him. He had forbidden my entrance to his dorm but I was willing to break his rules. I didn't care if he was angry about it.

I knocked two times and there was no answer. I heard closely through the door but there was no sound from inside of it. He wasn't showering or snoring asleep, just… absolute silence. Despite that, I knew that he was inside drowned in her own pain.

"Adam, it's me." I tried. "Let me in, please."

More silence. I tried to open the door and luckily it was unlocked. I stayed with the door mid open before entering.

"I'm gonna enter." I advertised.

I closed the door behind me and left the dinner on a table that was close to the entrance. It was all dark but due to our faunus traits, we could see through it.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed with a weird mask covering his face. Later I knew he made that because he didn't want me to see his face. A face that he hated now.

"Adam..." I whispered before running up in his arms.

He embraced me and I held onto him as if my life depended on that. I noticed the lack of love and care in him so I made sure to give it all I could, caressing his hair and rubbing his back. I had a slight suspicion that he was silently crying.

I looked up steam and saw the horrible mask that was hiding his face. I tried to touch it but he put his face away from my curious hands. Instead, I caressed his jaw and slowly moved my hand up until I got to touch the mask's edge.

I took it off with no sudden moves. Nothing could make me be afraid of Adam, at least not in that moment. I felt that he was like that because of me, it was my fault.

Then I saw them, the deep scars that were near his eyes, crossing his nose and tainting his forehead. He closed his eyes as I caressed each of them with my fingertips. Like a painter with his skin as a canvas.

He put his hands on my waist and pulled me towards him, making me sit on his lap. I didn't break the eye contact with him, I wanted to show him that he wasn't disgusted with the scars he had for the fight on the bar.

"Someone so beautiful doesn't deserve to be with a monster." Spoke Adam calmly.

"The only monsters were those guys on the bar."

"And they ended creating one."

He was wrong and to show him so, I started leaving quick kisses on his face. He shivered but didn't complain. I didn't know from where I got the courage to kiss him for so long and so many times. I felt like I owed him.

And like a hypnotized butterfly, my lips met his. He froze but didn't pull me away, so I kept kissing him, barely knowing how to since it was my first time. When I was out of air I pulled myself away from him but his hands stopped me and pushed me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me like a snake with its prey.

"This mask will be my face from now on. A Grimm face that will end with those who see us as monsters worse than Grimm."

* * *

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

Frozenheart7


	5. A naughty kitten's punishment

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: A naughty kitten's punishment

 **Rating:** M (Smut)

 **Warning:** Sex scenes, spanking, and even some BDSM.

 **Summary:** Blake had arrived late to her training with Adam, so at night he decides to punish her for being such a rebellious kitten.

 **A/N:** So a lot of people have asked me to write some smut, especially my dear reader friend Emma who reads a lot of my stories and is a huge tauradonna shipper. So here's the drabble to your petition, I hope you enjoy it!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, luckily my muses are here while RWBY is airing so expect a lot of drabbles these days.

* * *

Blake ended the weary journey in the shower, wiping off the dirt and the sweat. Her body was used to the training but on Fridays, she couldn't help but be tired and wait all day to finally arrive at her room and cuddle with Adam. Since they started a relationship, he made some arrangements to change room partners and ended having their one. He was putting a lot of effort on them and she also was trying to be more open and loving with him. Neither of them were extremely open and affectionate, at first it was difficult for both but now it was more like a second nature that they showed when they were alone.

Despite all, Belladonna had one thing for sure: She loved him and he loved her. And time by time they got closer and closer and knew each other better. That also improved their fighting skills on missions.

Blake heard the door of the room closing, he must have arrived from his meeting with other high ranks of the Vale branch. She hurried up and wrapped her body in a towel and got out of the bathroom.

The cat faunus expected a happy greeting and some kisses but instead, Taurus ignored her and sat in front of the desk to organize the papers that the council gave him to read and revise. Blake closed the door of the bathroom to remind him of her presence.

"You have arrived ten minutes late to the training today." Said Adam.

That was true, this morning she fell asleep and arrived late to the training. She even had to jump her breakfast to arrive in time. She had a busy day and now she had to deal with her mentor's anger.

"I know, Adam. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Adam didn't answer and Blake just searched for her pajamas in the closet. Meanwhile, she tangled her black bows around her arms. Before she could tie them up her elbow, Taurus appeared in front of her and pulled her by the extremes of one of them. He put one arm on her back so she could not escape from him by using her semblance.

"Do you think an apology is enough for this behavior?" Blake was shaking due to the cold and the tension in the room. "You deserve a punishment."

Belladonna at first didn't catch what kind of territory Adam was trying to enter. Sometimes they argued because having a romantic relationship and working together was causing some trouble and Blake was confusing that situation with another that Adam had planned for her.

"I think that my word is enough to condone my delay." She complained.

"Surely you had quite an attitude today, my love. You have been a naughty kitten."

She opened her mouth in surprise. She had been silly to not notice that Adam wasn't upset for her delay that morning. He wanted something different, using his power as her superior to make things more exciting and escape their routine.

"So?" Adam caressed her lips with his thumb.

"I do deserve a punishment, Adam."

He introduced his finger in her mouth and she licked it, making eye contact at all moment to excite him.

"You are dying for it. Beg." He ordered.

"Punish me, please."

Taurus pushed her to the bed and sat on her thorax. She squirmed slightly below him just to make things interesting. They wrestled as Adam tried to tie her wrists together with her black bow, then held both with a tight knob on the headboard of the bed.

His hands stroked Blake's exposed skin. He placed his lips on her neck, his breath tickling her sensitive and receptive skin. With slow and wet kisses, Adam trailed down her body until found the towel that was covering her most delicate parts. Brutally, he stripped Blake, ripping the towel off her. He expected her naked and exposed behind it but instead found that she was wearing underwear. The cat faunus smirked when saw the disappointment on his face.

He was cruel and had any mercy so as a revenge started teasing her, rubbing two fingers against her panties that started to soak.

"That's not how a punishment it's supposed to work." Said that he stopped but kept the pressure on her.

Belladonna tried to rub herself against his firm hand, searching for a constant caress to cause her pleasure. Adam just chuckled and separated the hand from her to just see her struggling for some friction. If Blake was close, he would retire the hand away so she would never earn what she desired.

"You are cruel!" Complained the cat faunus.

"You have quite an attitude today, so whimsical…"

"It's your fault, you've been spoiling me." She blamed him.

"An insolent and spoiled brat, yes, that's what you are." He got up and started unbuckling his belt. "Luckily, I have the perfect remedy for such disobedient creatures."

Blake bit her lip when heard him unbuckling the leather belt, imagining what would come next. She spread her legs to welcome him, but instead, he stayed in his pants and only took off his shirt and belt.

"Disappointed?" Mocked Adam seeing how desperate she was and delighting the revenge.

"Stop teasing me!" Complained the cat girl.

Adam tightened the belt in his hands, smirking, and suddenly spanked her thighs with it. Belladonna flinched and hissed in pain, grasping the bed sheets and closing her eyes trying to hold down tears. He had hit her really rough and hard.

"Show me some respect, little brat. Call me 'master'." Ordered Adam caressing the red mark the leather left.

"No." Replied the rebellious faunus.

Immediately she received another hit on the other thigh with the belt, this time with the metallic buckle. Blake let out a loud whimper, Adam chuckled hearing those pleasing sounds that only gave him more power against her.

"Now you're gonna take your punishment: ten spanks, one for each minute you made me wait."

Belladonna nodded and Adam sat on the couch, making her bend over his knee. With one hand restrained her wrists on her back and with the other caressed the buttocks before starting the spanking

"You're gonna count them. Loud." He ordered and said that, he gave the first with the belt.

"One." Blake flinched as her skin was marked red, he had hit her hard.

He made her head rise, with a grin intimidating her.

"Repeat: I'm not going to make my master wait."

Blake didn't hesitate and obeyed.

"I'm not going to make my master wait."

After that, another spank. She kept counting loud.

"You are a liar." Said the bull faunus.

"A dirty liar." Replied Blake.

Adam chuckled.

"Five extra spanks for being a brat."

This time using his hand, the spanking continued. Her skin becoming redder with each time his palm impacted on her buttocks. Belladonna kept counting loud, enjoying that too much but at the same time trying to hold her tears. Taurus was always rough and strict with her punishments and she didn't dislike it because later she knew he would please her.

"Fourteen…" Continued counting Blake, thinking that tomorrow she wouldn't be able to sit without feeling pain.

And the last one, wiping her flesh especially rough with the belt.

"Fifteen." Whispered Blake trying to endure the pain.

"Everything okay, my love?" He asked.

The cat faunus nodded.

"Master…" She moaned. "Please, master."

She was purring like a pampered kitty, all naked and prepared for him. Adam placed the belt on her neck and tied it as a collar, not too tight… yet.

"Still selfish and spoiled…"

She watched as he took off his pants and left only his black underwear. When Blake saw his bulge, a sign that he was as excited as her, got on her knees and elbows.

"Are you in heat, my love?" He mocked.

"Adam…" She kept purring sensually, rubbing her legs together asking for what he had been denying her. "Meow…"

He damned her, how easy it was to excite him, how she knew what strings to pull to achieve what she wanted, drive him crazy for her. Blake was the only faunus that caused that effect on him, he would never have anyone else better than his beloved darling.

"Dirty kitten..." He hissed.

He didn't want to be rough all the time so he made her legs spread and rubbed his fingers between them. Blake started shaking, still hard to believe how a spanking could excite her that way.

"Oh Adam, I love you!" She moaned in pure bliss for the friction of his hand against her.

Oh, how she loved the combination of pain and pleasure! She never got tired of the overwhelming heat and control, submitting for him.

Finally, the bull faunus got rid of her panties to have complete access to her. He combined more spanking with some teasing, rubbing her inner thighs, delighted with the sounds Blake made some sort of meow and moan combination that excited him.

The cat faunus used her hands to catch his wrist in order to move her hand deeper inside her.

"Naughty kittens aren't allowed to cum." He sentenced, grabbing the belt that was tied around her neck.

"Please, master… Don't be cruel, I'm begging you."

"Maybe in exchange for something, kitty." Taurus untied the bow that was holding her wrists together. "Do you have something that I might want?"

Blake smirked and stretched her body before getting up to her feet. Adam sat on the edge of the bed as she kneeled in front of him and rubbed her head against his legs. Adam stroked her cat ears as she placed her hands on his thighs. He held her chin up and kissed her lips passionately.

"Use your mouth." He ordered.

"Where?" She asked playfully.

"You know where, my darling."

With her teeth, Blake pulled down the elastic band of the boxers, exposing his manhood. Teasingly, as he did before with her, she started licking the tip slowly while looking at him in the eyes. Soon, Taurus couldn't stand the sensation and grabbed the leash of the belt, tightening it and choking her slightly to give him exactly what he required. As a response, Belladonna placed her hands near the base and introduced it fully inside her mouth. Adam relaxed his hand, letting go of the leash and instead grabbed her hair in a ponytail so she could focus on the labor.

"My love, that feels amazing…" His praise only encouraged her more, doing it faster. "Good kitten, yes…"

Eventually, he had to order her to stop or he would end soon. And he hadn't planned to stop loving her soon. Taurus ordered her to lay on the bed as he took off his boxers to be as naked as her. When he looked up found Blake with her legs already open for him.

Adam crawled on the mattress slowly, his lips kissing all the inches of skin on his trip upwards her body. He stopped on her breasts, where spent more time caressing and licking the sweet spots while stroking between her thighs, two fingers tempted to thrust inside her. Blake moved her hips and achieved to feel his digits on her, stroking her walls searching for a sensitive spot inside.

"Let me cum, please Adam." Begged Blake sighing in pleasure.

It was hard to deny it to her. Her skin was starting to get soaked in her sweat and he had to control his faunus instincts to prolong the teasing game before the intense ending.

"Not yet, my love. Hold on." He said passing to her neck and jaw, kissing and biting it, leaving property marks as she was his mate and he was hers.

The heat was too much for the feline faunus, her center was burning in passion and she needed Adam. Desperate, tangled her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his hips to pull him closer to her entrance. She stared at him with shiny eyes and caressed his chest sensually. Both shared a round of deep and slow kisses, as he joined her to satisfy the desperate and endless burning desire that was consuming his mate.

Blake tangled her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasant feeling that was having him loving her. He could be rough and merciless on the foreplays, being even rude, but when they became a union, he always searched for mutual pleasure and satisfaction of the partner.

"Cum for me, darling." He asked softly. "Say my name to know how good I make you feel."

Belladonna faced Adam, holding his face with both hands. She stared him deep into his red obscure eyes, where she might guess what he was feeling and thinking at the moment. She could see fire inside, a destructive and powerful flame for her and everything he loved and fought for. That same passion might destroy them one day but the cat faunus didn't care, feeling him thrusting in and out of her.

As she had been stimulated to the edge several times before, it was easy to arrive at the culminant spot quickly. Blake nailed her nails on his back knowing that pain also excited him at certain moments and fought not to moan very loud. Adam seemed to have fun while seeing her struggling against her instincts.

"I want to hear you, my love."

"Adam…" She whispered shyly near her ear.

"Louder!"

Blake was feeling the very first symptoms of the climax and lost control, obeying all his commands as he was driving her crazy. She was not the only one, he also had to control himself to not end before her.

"Ah-... Adam! A-Adam…" She moaned while her insides were shrinking pleasingly.

The sound of the moans and agitated breath ended as an exhausted Blake who experienced the joys and pleasures of mating rested on the mattress, caressing Adam's intense red hair.

Following the practical rule 'ladies first', once Blake was done, Adam set himself free inside of her, growling and biting her neck softly as the intense but short ecstasy consumed him. He felt her holding him while the wave of pleasure had taken him and he nailed his fingers on her hips, making a last rough thrust.

After the intense climax, both ended resting. Blake had Adam still on top and inside of her, his hand stroking her hair and his lips kissing her forehead. He didn't get out of her until his breath was restored and the sweat had been dried from their skins. Both laid on the mattress staring at the ceiling, holding hands.

"Why don't you invite that chameleon friend of yours next time?" Proposed Adam.

Belladonna giggled, thinking about how different would be this situation if Ilia were with them at that moment.

"She doesn't like you, besides, you are only mine." She said grabbing his hand, licking his fingers and biting the palm.

"Alright, my spoiled kitty, I get it, you don't like to share."

Blake stared at him and smiled, then stared at the clock. It was almost midnight and tomorrow they would have to train again.

The cat faunus grabbed the clock and changed the alarm… so she would arrive to the training an hour late.

She was working her way into another punishment tomorrow. Adam noticed it but said nothing, he would enjoy putting his mate in her place.

* * *

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

Frozenheart7


	6. Together and immortal

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Together and immortal

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary: [** Vampire AU] Blake, a poor peasant, gets lost in a forest at night but luckily finds Lord Taurus, the count and owner of the land. He brings her to his castle and offers shelter for the night. Despite his amiability, she has a price to pay and it will be with her blood.

 **Reviews and petitions:** As the guest Miko requested, here's this Vampire AU (really dark as you requested). Thanks for all your reviews and petition, Miko!

I'm glad you readers have enjoyed the other drabbles and petitions. For the ones asking for more smut I have to say: Yes, I will write more smut.

* * *

The full moon was the only light the young peasant had to guide her steps. She was dragging a dirty cloak behind her, keeping her shoulders and back warm since she had been walking through the forest for hours.

That afternoon she went to the woods to search for herbs to boil and make a soup. She lived with her father and mother in a small and old farm where they lived thanks to the livestock of the harvest and fertile soil.

Blake heard the sound of wolves howling at the moon. If she continued like this, he would be the prey of a wild animal.

And it happened.

From the distance, the sound of a horse galloping could be heard. Belladonna guided herself through the dark with the help of the sound, coming more and more closer.

A wrong step into the herbs made her fall. She had tripped on a root and twisted her ankle, falling into a pool of mud. The steps of the horse were close, she could feel the wind of the speed the animal had.

The dark count smelled the sweet blood of a maiden near him. It wasn't usual finding a prey late at night on the forest, it almost felt like a trap.

"Stop." Ordered Adam to his loyal horse.

He got off the horse and continued the walk around the woods. She could feel her, the young maiden wandering around.

Finally, he found her. She was on the floor, hurt. He tied the leash of the horse around the tree and came close to her.

"May I help you, fair maiden?" Said Adam offering his hand.

The peasant lifted her head and her golden eyes met ones much darker, almost black. The horse rider was handsome, young and mysterious. He had charming factions, a sharp and defined chin, sensual lips, a straight nose and a skin paler than hers. He seemed to belong to a high-class, like a prince.

He helped her get up, contemplating that she wasn't a high-class brat like the ones he used to search. But certainly, she smelled better than most of them. She smelled of innocence and purity. Her skin was crystal clear though she was dirty and sweaty. Her hair was as dark as his own soul and her eyes were two jewels that shone brighter than the sun.

She was beautiful. She would be his.

"I can't find my way back home." She explained. "I've been wandering alone for a while, I'm far away from the farm."

Her clothes were dirty of mud and dust, her cloak had a few holes caused by the thorns of the wild plants. She looked so helpless, mouth-watering the eternal count.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"My ankle hurts… A lot."

Taurus lifted her, she tangled her arms around his white neck. He had her chest near his face, watching how with her breath it went up and down.

"You may know me as the count Taurus, the lord of this forests." He said while making her sit on his horse. "I will bring you to my palace so you can rest tonight."

"You are too kind, lord." She said.

He let the maiden stay on the horse as he walked beside, guiding it to the castle. The young girl fell asleep on the horse, she had been so easy to fool…

The count entered on his stone palace. He left the horse in the barn and lifted the girl on his arms. He didn't even know her name, from now on she wouldn't need one, she would be his nourishment.

"My lady, wake up. We have arrived." He said getting her off the horse.

Belladonna opened her golden eyes and looked around. The atmosphere was terrifying. She was expecting a bright palace with a court, maids, and life but the castle was just the opposite. It was colder indoors than outside in the forest. She could barely see due to the lack of candles and light in general. There was dark and old furniture on the endless corridors. The only things that seemed to be in the palace were doors and locks that only the count had the respective keys.

"I will give you the best bedroom I have."

Adam brought her to the highest tower, where she would stay until she died. But first, he would make sure that she was clean and prepared for him.

He made her lay on the bed and ordered her to rest and stay there for his pain on the ankle to disappear. The young peasant observed the beautiful dorm. It had small windows on top of the ceiling where the moonlight entered. The bed was soft and the blankets were made of velvet, the bed sheets of silk, the pillow of feathers. Soon, she fell asleep.

Adam went to the bathroom on the same tower, just a door next to the dorm. It had a big round stone bath with soap, with no perfume, of course, he didn't like to mask the delicious smell of the blood and his preys. He prepared a hot bath and chose other clothes for her to change.

"My lady?" He called, Blake opened her eyes. "The water is warm now if you wish to take a bath. There are also new clothes for you."

Belladonna got up from the bed, the pain om the ankle almost unnoticeable. She just needed some rest to heal the slight twist. She approached the count.

"Lord, I owe you a lot." She said. "Where can I found you when I'm done?"

"I care about everything on my land, included you, a lost maiden." He smirked, but not wide enough to show his fangs. "I will be downstairs."

The count left the room and Blake went to the bathroom. She took her dirty dress, covered in mud, and dark cloak off. She had never seen such a luxurious place. The candles were illuminating the room and the cold of the palace seemed to disappear there.

Belladonna entered on the bathtub, the warmth of the water relieving her weary body, washing away all the dirt and fatigue. The poverty and misery of the country could never give Blake what the count had been offering her. A clean room, new clothes, a huge round bathtub filled with warm water and a collection of soaps. She sank her body into the water, included her hair. The crystal water soon became dark. The peasant made sure to wash all her body with the soaps to be clean as she didn't have the luxury to wash herself very often on her house.

When she was done, got out from the bathtub quickly and wrapped herself in warm towels that were prepared for her. She moved to the sink, where in a chair in front of the mirror, the count had left her a beautiful purple dress with black lace details on the chest, sleeves, and frills at the end of the long skirt. There was also clean underwear, a brush for her hair and a beautiful silver bracelet with amethyst stones encrusted.

Belladonna accepted all the gifts, first dried her hair and then got dressed. She admired at herself in the mirror, she didn't look like a poor peasant. The wavy locks of her long and soft hair were falling down, making a beautiful contrast with her now clean and white skin. The dress was amazing, defining her waist and the corset making her breasts look bigger and tender.

The count had been too kind to her and Blake was willing to repay him everything… no matter what he asked her. The peasant got out of her room, being guided with the beautiful music of a piano being played downstairs.

Adam smelled his prey coming closer and closer, then heard her light steps. He kept playing the piano until she arrived at the living room and got on her knees, the skirt of the dress looking like a violet cloud and her raven hair a curtain of darkness. Now that she was clean he could feel her intoxicating human aroma.

"How can I repay your kindness, Lord?" She said.

"You are now part of my properties as I found you on my land." He lifted her chin. "How is my pleasant company called?"

"Blake Belladonna."

Belladonna, a beautiful lady. It suited her perfectly. The count was always more into her. He made her got up and kissed her pale hand.

"My lady, feel free to stay as much as you wish." He said while staring at her golden eyes.

"Lord Taurus, tell me what can I give you in order to thank your hospitality."

She insisted even knowing what he would want as he was a count with no court and company. But she was wrong about his true necessities and desires.

"That depends on what you're willing to offer me." Said the count retiring his leather gloves. "I don't want you to feel forced to do things you don't wish, my lady."

Adam stared at her neck and chest, licking his lips discreetly.

"I'm offering you my body and along with it my virtue and innocence, Lord Taurus. I have nothing more to pay you."

The count tangled his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him. She embraced him and Adam could feel her heartbeats moving the blood inside her, the precious and sweet treat he needed to keep himself young and strong.

"If that's what you wish, my darling… I shall not deny it."

He lifted her in his arms and brought her to the room in the tower. He left her on the bed and closed the door with the keys to make sure that she wouldn't run away from him.

When he turned found the young Belladonna tying off the corset that was holding the dress on her body. The purple cloth fell to the floor and showed her attributes, she kept undressing, taking the underwear off. Her hands were trembling due to the cold and the nerves of her first time but managed to lay down on the mattress and with her hand call the count to claim what was his.

Adam crawled on the bed until he was on top of her. He caressed her cheek softly and then descended to her neck, setting aside the hair to have total access to her veins. She moaned when he licked her vulnerable skin on the neck and turned her head as a symbol of submission and vulnerability, to make his will. The count grabbed her wrists, immobilizing them and making sure that she wouldn't move.

He smelled her once more and kissed her jaw and neck before opening his mouth and showing his sharp fangs. Blake opened her eyes in horror and screamed when he nailed his teeth on her tender flesh.

Adam tasted her sweet and nutritive blood. A virgin's body always felt better no matter for which use. She squirmed and kept screaming, feeling him suck her blood and slowly weakening her senses. The vampire licked the two marks on her neck, cleaning the blood off. He liked her blood more than other maidens he had kidnapped before and didn't want her to die that same night but at the same time, he wished more of her blood. He would be careful to not drain her dry in only one night.

"Stop! You are hurting me!" Yelled the peasant weeping.

Blake, as a village country girl, had heard of vampires and even read something on old books in the church. She would have never believed that she would be a victim of one of them.

"You offered me your body, that includes your blood." Said Adam licking the rest of her blood on his lips. "So be a good prey and stay still or I will make it hurt."

"N-no! I just want to go home! Let me go!"

Taurus ignored her, she didn't even have enough strength to let go of his hands. That was too easy but he was enjoying the experience and the weeping of the young lady.

The vampire descended to her chest and searched for a vein closer to the heart. He licked the spot before nailing his fangs on it. His victim screamed again and cried loud, begging to her god to forgive her sins and have mercy on her. Adam interrupted his feeding just to chuckle and tell her:

"Stop praying, there's no other god than me. I'm the one that has the control over you and will have mercy if you really deserve it."

He returned to his labor and kept draining blood, satisfying his eternal thirst. Blake was squirming everytime less but not because she saw that could do nothing about it but because was feeling bad.

"I'm getting dizzy… If you don't stop soon I will…" Whispered with weakness in her voice.

"My lady, your blood is just too good to stop. I need you to feed me."

Blake didn't get to listen to him, she had already fainted.

Taurus let go of her and got up. If he couldn't torment and listen to her screaming then there was no fun on it. Besides, he wasn't that thirsty to keep sucking her blood more time.

The count left the room, locking the wood door behind him.

* * *

Blake woke up the next morning, alone, thinking that all that had been a nightmare. Nonetheless, when she went to the bathroom saw those red fang marks on her neck and chest and saw that what happened last night had been real.

The count Taurus, lord of the land where she lived, was a vampire.

She tried to escape, but the door was locked. Despite that, she didn't give up so easily. The peasant searched for other ways to escape but the small windows were too high to reach or climb for them, besides, she was weak and afraid to twist her ankle again so she decided to wait for the count to return although was afraid of what could happen.

Adam didn't visit his prisoner until midnight. He found her asleep, thirsty and hungry, very pale. She heard the sound of the door closing and immediately got up from the bed, walking backward.

"How long are you going to keep me locked away?" Asked Blake. "I did pay for staying that night, but now I want to leave."

Taurus walked towards her until her back hit the walls. He had cornered her.

"Change of plans, you will be staying until I'm not thirsty anymore." He smirked and showed his fangs, staring at her neck.

"But vampires are always thirsty." Complained Blake.

"Precisely." He chuckled.

Taurus caught her wrists and smelled her.

"At least give me food and water." Complained Blake showing no resistance towards his will.

"I'm the predator and you my prey, so hush. "

Belladonna didn't let him have his way, kicking him between his thighs, but that didn't work. He could feel no pain because he was immortal and invincible.

"You are going to pay for daring to hurt me, my lady." Sentenced Adam angry.

The vampire didn't show compassion for Blake's instincts to run and hide and nailed his fangs near her jaw. Blake screamed again and again when Adam didn't stay sucking on that single spot and kept biting a trail down her body. He broke the corset with his bare hands and kept nailing his sharp fangs down. Then, when he arrived to her waist, licked her skin upwards, collecting all the blood coming from the bites.

"Blood stains your flesh so prettily...". Adam kept licking up but tasted tears and not blood. "Why are you crying, my love?"

"Please, let me go, I won't tell anyone I saw you! I won't say that you are a vampire! I will hide the marks until they heal!" Begged Blake weeping and crying.

He tightened the grip on her wrists and pushed her harder against the wall, hurting her body.

"No deal."

Adam trailed down and up again, cleaning all the rests of blood would be wasted if he didn't drink it. Then, returned to her neck, where he had sucked the day before and a crust had been growing since then. He could feel the jugular artery throbbing with each heartbeat. He nailed his fang on the same spot, causing Blake an immense pain and making her scream. Satisfied, the count felt all the blood in his mouth and swallowed each drop of it.

Belladonna got dizzy and her sight blurred, she wasn't feeling her legs and ended falling on the vampire's arms, fainted once more. Normally, his prisoners and victims lived almost a week. But this was just the second day and Blake was already weaker than expected because she was a peasant and wasn't as well fed as the high-class brat.

He placed the fainted Blake on the bed and kept feeding himself, cleaning the wounds to not waste any drop of the sweet blood she had.

* * *

Another day locked and imprisoned on the tower of the count's castle. Despite that, this time when Blake got up could smell food. When she saw a dish with some bread and a jar full of juice quickly wanted to get up. But the rush made her fall into the ground, her legs were weak and she barely had strength left in her body. She crawled until arrived at the door, where he had left the bread and juice. Finally, in two days she could eat and drink something else than water from the bathroom.

She tasted the orange juice, sweet and nutritive and immediately drank the entire jar in only one time. It was unwise because the count didn't seem to care about his 'meal' but she was desperate and undernourished that needed each drop of fruit to keep herself alive. When she finished the juice, her hands grabbed the tender bread. It was the best bread she had ever tasted, it had sugar incrusted inside of it so it was sweet too. A few moments after finishing all the food, Blake thought about it being poisoned but didn't find any sense on that. Well, not that everything she had experienced lately had sense too.

Despite have eaten, Blake only had forces left to go to the bathroom to clean herself and her wounds, brush her hair and return to the bed. She spent the solar hours resting, covered with the bedsheets and blankets. She had no hope of escaping and didn't think she had any chance of getting out of the castle alive. She thought of her parents and how they waited for her to return for dinner with herbs to boil some herbal medicinal soup.

She received the same visit late at night, the count appeared from the shadows with his usual thirst. He observed her laying on the bed, eyes still open and chest going up and down. Despite giving her some food today, was still weak and even worse than the other day. He sat beside her, she was looking at nowhere, her mind far away from the dismal castle of the vampire. He slapped her cheek to see if she reacted with pain, but there was no answer. He made her turn her face to his to stare into her eyes but her sight was still blurry.

Adam made her stare at him, not quite sure if she was conscious of what was happening around her. He grabbed her wrists and checked her pulse, it was weak but constant. He licked the spot and then bit the veins on the wrist. He expected a river of blood filling his mouth, making him swallow it quickly but instead found that Blake had not much blood left on her body and he calculated that she wouldn't live another night.

The vampire stopped sucking her wrists and instead leaned forward, facing the peasant.

"Letting you die would be a waste of a nutritive and special blood…" Thought comparing her blood to any other victims he had chosen in the past. "Have you ever wanted to live forever?"

He didn't expect her to answer, he had already decided her fate. Her blood made him feel alive, but was addictive and wasn't disposed to renounce to it because of her mortality.

The count lifted Belladonna and descended to the dungeons of the castle, passing through the dead cold solitary corridors. He left her on a table in the middle of the dungeons, a big space that was designed especially for the ritual he would perform in order to transform her into a creature like him.

He chained Blake to the wood table and went to prepare the ingredients for the ritual. Some essential oils, herbs and some of his own blood, mixing and transforming all of it into a dense cream.

Blake could barely hear something and her sight was still blurry, she could only feel Adam's hands on her and the heavy weight of the chains on her wrists and ankles. She could see him in a corner preparing some kind of mixture. Then grabbed a double-edged-knife and the bowl and returned to the table where she was immobilized.

Taurus used the knife and broke her clothes, starting for the skirt of the dress and then the sleeves and corset left. He pulled back strands of her black hair to have total access to her pale but occasionally marked skin.

Blake was now naked, exposed and vulnerable to him. The cold helped her clear up, returning to a more solid conscience. She tried to break free, making the chains cling as her body trembled. She felt Adam's hands caressing her body and spreading the strange mixture all over her.

"What are you doing?" Asked Blake weakly.

Once he was done, the count started undressing, getting ready for the toughest part of the ritual.

"You can't resist immortality… We will be together forever." He sentenced pulling her body towards the edge of the table and spreading her legs.

The peasant couldn't hear his answer, just abstract echoes. Suddenly, she felt him forcing himself inside of her, painfully thrusting deeper and then pulling in and out with brute force. He wasn't searching for pleasure despite it was inevitable, but having his seed inside of her not to make her pregnant, just for her to rebirth into a better version of herself.

Meanwhile, Belladonna was pulling the chains to escape, not quite sure of why the count was doing, having a knife in hand while raping her and with his blood and herbs smeared over her body. She was too weak to do something against him, limited to suffer and unwilling to cooperate. The girl tried to gain comfort thinking of her family, the life in the country, going for long walks and working on the land, making the plants grow to have food and survive. That life seemed hard but being trapped in a dark disgusting dungeon, chained and with a vampire forcing her was way worse.

Taurus was being sent over the edge, throbbing inside of her. It was time to end her life, he prepared the double-edged-knife.

Belladonna, terrified, saw how Adam lifted the dagger and pierced her heart with it. Internally, Adam thanked that she didn't get to scream before stabbing her.

He got out of her body and got dressed quickly. The smell of her blood was all over the dungeons. He took the dagger out of her chest and sucked the blood that was going out, she wouldn't need it and he wouldn't waste it.

* * *

Blake stared terrified at the mirror, looking at a monster that was no longer human, a predator. She had grown two white and sharp fangs, her eyes were shinier than before, her skin paler and flawless. Any scar, sign of a stab on the heart or even of having died, disappeared. She couldn't feel hunger, only thirst… and an unsatisfiable sexual desire.

Taurus' placed his hands on her shoulders. He was glad the ritual had worked as he had never done it before. He just knew that her mother, a vamp too, performed it to transform the human he loved into an immortal creature like her. That's how he had been born, but his parents had been hunted down a while ago now.

"Why did you do this?" Asked the peasant trembling. "I didn't want to be a soulless monster like you! I'd rather die!" She yelled at him, getting up from her seat.

She was going to slap him, but he stopped her hand, tightening her wrists, making her bone crack. Blake screamed in pain and got on her knees, holding the bone in her place, quickly healing.

"You can't die anymore, but you can feel pain… And I'm the only one that can injure you since humans don't have enough strength." He explained carefully.

He let Blake calm herself while he sat on the piano and chose a song to play. The beautiful music the piano helped the female to calm down. She got up to her feet and walked towards him. He, without stopping playing, moved aside and let her a space on the chair to sit and enjoy his fingers playing the white and black keys.

"Why did you do it? Why did you transform me into one of your kind?" She asked, sitting beside him.

"I'm tired of being alone and your blood is just… special. I didn't want you to die but neither I wanted you to still be a weak mortal."

Blake wasn't expecting that but was glad that he didn't do it for some twisted and dark reason. She could comprehend that though she didn't condone his decision.

The truth was hard, but she had to accept the reality. She had to stay with him as she was a vampire too.

"Lord Taurus…" She called softly.

"Just Adam."

"Adam… I'm thirsty." She admitted softly.

The count stopped playing the piano and offered his wrist to her. After all she had been through, still hesitated to bite him and suck the blood off his veins.

"Don't feel guilty for being a predator, Blake. You fed me once, now it's my turn."

Adam ended biting himself. He knew that once she smelled the blood she couldn't control herself and end drinking. She did, nailing her fangs on his wrist until was satisfied.

"Is there something more I can do for you, Blake?" Asked Adam smirking.

"Actually, yes…" Admitted blushed.

Belladonna leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Taurus accepted that innocent kiss and transformed it into more passionate and hungry. Blake was still a novice on being immortal and control her instincts, she couldn't control herself on that either.

He lifted Blake and walked to the fireplace, left her on the big carpet that was on the living room floor and crawled on top of her. She accepted and let him join her as she needed someone to satisfy that other burning need as a vampire.

Adam took his shirt off and unbuckled the belt that was holding the pants in its place.

"You also did transform me for this, right?" Asked Blake.

Adam lifted her skirt and broke her underwear.

"Don't blame me, I need a mate and it can't be a human because vampires last much longer on the bed." He chuckled. "...and much stronger and intense too."

* * *

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, luckily my muses are here while RWBY is airing so expect a lot of drabbles these days.

Thanks for all!

Frozenheart7


	7. Trophy wife

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Trophy wife

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** The Taurus is a happily married couple at the sight of the scathing eyes that see just one side of the story. Adam is the famous High Leader of the White Fang and his wife, Blake Belladonna is one of the most envied women in Menagerie. But what happens when the couple close the doors of their manor and are alone? Are they as happy as they seem or are all just fake appearances?

 **A/N:** It's been a while since I've posted one of my ideas for drabbles, so here's this one where Adam and Blake are the perfect couple at everyone's sight.

I tried to pass to the doc manager the Christmas drabble but I'm having trouble with the website and instead, I'm posting this one (that has also holiday references) because I had it already uploaded on the doc manager. I expect the website to be fixed soon because I have a lot of things to pass to the doc manager.

Expect a lot of Angst and not comfort.

* * *

The Taurus manor was reluctant that night. Even though it was past midnight, the brighter light wasn't the one on the sky, it was the smile of the guests that had come to a business dinner.

Adam Taurus was an occupied man, the current High Leader of the White Fang and husband of Blake Belladonna, daughter of the former High Leader. He was doing a perfect job leading the organization of faunus but he was addicted to the work and sometimes her marriage with Blake was hard.

Despite that, at that dinner, every trouble seemed to fly away. Adam had invited two lieutenants, The Albain brothers, along with two of their best subordinates, Yuma and Sienna. Blake was surprised that he had friends as they seemed to know each other well and tall about themes they had discussed before. That's when she started realizing that her husband never told her anything from her job even if it was the only thing he used to do every day during hours.

"You look wonderful as a couple, I bet you must be happy." Commented Sienna.

She was right, they had the perfect house, a good job, Blake had only to worry about cooking and reading books, and things were going well for them. But she longed for something more than a peaceful life married to an incredibly talented and handsome husband living on the largest house on Menagerie.

"Things are not always what they seem." Replied Blake neutrally.

Adam held her wrist down the table. Still not too tight to hurt her. He knew that she was slightly hurt… or angry because she wanted him to pay more attention to her. But he couldn't allow her running her mouth freely on that dinner that his reputation was at stake.

"What do you mean with that, Ms. Taurus? Was I wrong?" Asked again the tiger faunus.

This time, her husband tightened her wrist until he could feel her bones with his fingertips, tightening her painfully. She had to nail her fingers on the chair to not scream.

"No, no, just a mere observation." Corrected Blake feeling instantly the relief when Adam let her go.

Belladonna was horrible at pretending and was surprised that nobody noticed that behind so many layers of makeup she had purple eye bags.

"You seem tired Mr. Taurus. Don't you think that you deserve a long vacation?" Observed Corsac, one of the Albain brothers.

"We didn't even get to go on our honeymoon." Commented Blake again after drinking more wine.

Adam had no time to reply or speak, Blake was the spotlight of the conversation, not only by the looks. She looked beautiful in a long purple dress with black lace details around the shoulder and was wearing expensive jewels that he had bought for their second anniversary last month. But she was also deadly and dangerous with only her words and mind.

"Work is no everything, we need to spend time with our loved ones more often and think about the family." Agreed Fennec, the other brother. "Speaking of which, aren't you planning to have children?"

Figures, thought Adam, it was the subject Blake was pushier about. She grew a great smile on her face despite the sadness growing inside her heart. This time, she remained silent and let her husband speak.

"There's still too much work to do and having a family is a great responsibility that I doubt Blake could manage."

Touché. This time Blake would have been the one to tighten his wrist and hurt him if it wasn't for his hand caressing hers below the table, mocking her. Belladonna's smile disappeared.

The guests felt awkward and alarmed that a matrimonial argument was about to start.

Blake couldn't stand the need her husband had to hurt her that way.

"We should be leaving soon, it's late." Said one of the Albain brothers.

"I'm afraid we should do the same." Announced Yuma.

Blake enjoyed a short talk with Yuma, who, before leaving, whispered her something:

"If you want him to give you more attention, serve him some whiskey and caress his chest. If that doesn't work you can always come with me."

Belladonna blushed but pretended like nothing happened, returning to Adam's side. She would never leave him, she loved him and ever will.

Mr. and Ms. Taurus said their goodbyes to the guests who enjoyed a delicious meal with them. He had even grabbed her by the waist to wave them while they left with the car but once the maids closed the doors, he let her go and locked himself in his office. Not a single word said despite knowing that he would join her in bed later when she was already asleep.

Belladonna sighed resigned and helped the maids get the dishes to the kitchen.

"How did it go?" Asked Triva, one of the maids.

"With the other people, he is nice and charming, like when we weren't married… but with me, that changes." Belladonna sighed "I'm going to try something to get his attention."

The maids would take care of the rest while he went upstairs to change her purple dress for a black nightgown, the sexiest she had, the one she only used on special occasions. She painted her lips with a bright gloss to highlight them and wore her best lingerie. Her neck was infested with one of the most expensive perfumes she had and for last, she let go of her wavy black long hair and brushed it. For last, covered her body with a matching silk coat. Then, headed downstairs to Adam's office.

The door was open so she only had to knock to come in. He didn't even look at her, too busy with his paperwork. But far below to demotivate, the cat faunus went to the shelf and filled a crystal glass with whiskey, then brought it to her husband.

Taurus accepted it but didn't mutter a 'thanks', just drank all the content with a fast swallow, burning his throat with the alcohol. Blake filled it again but this time she was the one drinking.

It had been so long since the last time he touched her that she was really nervous and needed the wine of the dinner and the whiskey to be more relaxed. She tried to face him, his factions always hidden behind the paperwork and untied the coat, revealing her nightgown.

"What are you even doing here?" Finally spoke Adam, as cold as always.

"Dear, it's almost two in the morning and you are still sitting here. You should come upstairs with me." She said sensually coming closer to him and embracing his back.

Taurus froze while his wife's hands caressed his chest as she purred right on his ears. Blake saw the technique ineffective so passed to more direct action, placing her hand on Adam's knee and going upwards slowly ascending to his tights and more.

"Tonight you can do whatever you want to me." She purred.

Taurus growled as she sat on his lap and kissed his neck. His hands barely dared to touch her skin and the dark silk of the sexy nightgown. She moaned slightly and rubbed her hips against his, noticing the bulge on his pants growing, just an automatic response to his faunus mating instincts.

"I want to have children, Adam." She confessed, but it was nothing he didn't know.

"No, Blake. It's not the right moment." Rejected Taurus.

Belladonna didn't give up.

"I'm alone while having breakfast, dinner... I'm bored to do the same thing every day and not see you until it's past midnight when you're half asleep and I can't even talk to you more than five minutes."

Adam didn't feel compassion for her. She made her choice marrying him, knowing how her father was occupied with the leadership of the White Fang she could expect the same from him.

"If you feel so lonely, adopt a cat."

Said that, Adam roughly pushed her off him.

"I don't want a pet. I want a family and I need my husband." She insisted hurt for the reject.

Taurus started losing his patience. She was acting like a child, having a tantrum to get the attention of an adult.

"If you played well your role as my wife I would pay more attention to you. What you did tonight was stupid, immature and disappointing."

His wife wouldn't be submissive and low the head this time. He would listen to her.

"Stop scolding me! It's just the opposite. I wouldn't have spoken that much if you were a good husband." Blake was about to cry. "A family it's the only thing I ask you since the wedding night."

Adam threw an intimidating glance at her.

"It would only get in my way."

Belladonna wasn't understanding anything, or she didn't want to.

"How can you talk like this about possible descendants?!"

Taurus slammed his fist on the table, making the glass of whiskey fall. Then he got up and Blake made a step backward, scared.

"I hate children, I don't want to have any!" He yelled at her.

"But you said we would form a family! You promised to love, respect and take care of me on the altar."

"I only said that to make you shut up and marry me!" Blake froze. "I was lying, do you understand that?!"

"N-no… that's not true, you are lying!"

Adam chuckled and advanced towards her, slowly and intimidating his wife, who was trembling for the strong emotions her little and weak heart couldn't stand.

"Courting the High Leader's daughter was the perfect plan, I quickly became the first pretendant to be his successor. And it only cost marrying you. You were so blinded, falling for me each day more and more and didn't suspect a thing! You almost give me pity, such an innocent and naive young woman being fooled by the one she loves." He explained merciless to the broken woman in front of him.

But suddenly, Belladonna's golden eyes burned with rage, tore and threw the papers off the desk to the ground. Adam just stared at the cat faunus and how she shouted in a furious spite. Her rage disappeared after that, the fire in her heart slowly disappearing and all the anger replaced by sadness.

She only had Adam. He was her entire life. She loved him. That was a nightmare.

"I will give you anything you want… I'll do whatever you ask me to do, but let's have children… please." She asked taking his hand and pulling him outside the office.

"I'm not coming to bed with you." Sentenced the bull faunus. "You are pretty, helpful, submissive and nice, I can give you that. But I don't want to be tied to you all my life."

"You won't even have to care for me or to raise them, I will do it on my own! W-we will let you work peacefully!"

"I said no!" He yelled.

Taurus lifted his hand and with great force slapped his wife. She fell on the floor, hand on the cheek trying to calm down the pain on her body and heart.

Blake flinched scared.

"Is it necessary to be so cruel to me?" She whispered, not strong enough to raise her voice.

"No. But it is necessary for you to grow up and face reality." Blake covered herself with the coat. "At least you played well your role as trophy wife until now, I wasn't expecting that much from you."

"Tell me that you are just saying this because you are mad and drunk. Say that you love me!" She begged, grabbing his legs and tangling her arms around them.

She didn't let go and kept embracing him, holding to it as if her life depended on it. Taurus stroked her head, between her cat ears and caressed the softness of her hair.

"I don't love you, darling. I'm sorry you believed that." He sentenced cruelly.

Blake lowered her head, got up and walked out of the office. Seconds later he heard her going upstairs, probably to sleep.

Taurus stared at the mess his wife did.

* * *

After collecting all the papers Blake had thrown to the floor and finishing them, Adam decided that he would take a break. His head hurt as thunders striking him, he probably had a hangover. Finally, decided to go upstairs and rest. It was four in the morning and luckily Blake would be asleep and won't annoy him.

Outside of the room, the mansion was consumed by the darkness. The maids had left, Blake would be sleeping and he was the only one left awake.

To his surprise, Blake wasn't in the bedroom. He took off his suit and left only his underwear, then covered himself with the bed sheets. He tried to sleep but a distant sobbing could be heard. Then he realized that the light of the bathroom was turned on and his wife was inside crying. He couldn't believe that she had spent two hours like that. Adam had never understood love as he was an orphan and loved by no one until he was an adult. He could never develop positive emotions and that ended affecting Blake because he cared only for himself and no one else. And she was just the opposite.

Finally, Taurus fell asleep, forgetting about his trophy wife who was crying her heart out on the bathroom floor.

* * *

The next day, Adam woke up late, almost at midday. Blake used to wake him up with a kiss, but she wasn't beside him on the bed. He couldn't smell the recently toasted breakfast she would prepare for him neither. The routine had been crushed due to the argument they had last night. He was hungry and wanted a pill to banish the terrible headache, so the first place he went was the bathroom.

Adam found one of the maids, Ilia, cleaning the marble floor. Then he remembered the last time he heard Blake was crying in there.

"Amitola, where's my wife?"

"She's not here." She only replied, glancing at him clearly angry.

Ilia Amitola was the best of the maids and Blake's only friend. That made her the best and only company she had.

To protect his pride, Adam just went to take a shower, telling the maid to go and make the bed meanwhile, that she would end cleaning the bathroom when he had finished his hygiene routine.

The water helped him get rid of the headache, product of the hangover of the dinner last night. He massaged his body with soap and then got out quickly, wanting to start the day in a good way and preparing his speech for the winter holidays. Meanwhile he dried his red hair with a towel, he went to the closet to choose his clothing. He couldn't believe what he found when he opened it. Blake's part of the closet was empty, there were only two formal dresses left.

"Amitola!" Yelled Taurus.

The maid immediately came in the room.

"Can I clean the bathroom now?" She asked.

"Care to explain this?" Said the bull faunus pointing at the empty closet.

"I packed Blake's things as she asked… Even though I couldn't pack all the money and the house you earned thanks to her." Reproached the chameleon faunus.

Adam slapped her cheek and Ilia fell to the floor, the scream attracted the other cleaning staff, more friends of Blake. That wasn't the first time he hurt somebody physically but it could have been worse. Like what he did with Blake, destroying her psyche slowly, making her worthy of nothing, abusing her fragile and loving heart.

"What did she tell you?!" Barked Adam in a furious rage.

"She told me how manipulative you were, marrying her just to be the High Leader of the faunus organization her father founded."

"Watch your mouth or I'll fire you, Amitola." Despite his clear warning, Ilia kept reproaching things to him.

"You were nobody before her. Everything you have is thanks to her and you dare to break her."

"Tell me: where is she?!" Insisted Taurus.

"She did well in leaving you, how could she stand you?"

"Tell me where she is and I will consider not firing you."

"It isn't' necessary to fire me, I'm leaving this house too. Keep everything you earned thanks to her for yourself."

The other maids, seeing how their main maid was taking off her apron and throwing it at Taurus' feet, decided to do the same. Soon Adam heard the door of the house closing, leaving him alone, the only one remaining inside the small palace. He couldn't believe that all of them had renounced at their job just because his wife was whimsical and selfish.

Adam shrugged and muttered a 'whatever'. He could hire more cleaning staff with all his money and he would make sure that they weren't as gossip as the ones that had just left. Blake had always been shy but sociable, that's why the maids loved her so much, she liked to help them and so they left too because there was no sympathy for Adam after what she might have told them.

Taurus thought that she would be back sooner or late. Blake would spend maybe a week with her parents but not more, camouflaging her temporal stay as a casual visit and lying telling that we husband was too occupied with his leadership to come along.

He was sure that she would return before the winter holidays. She would rather be with a liar and believe all his lies than alone.

* * *

Two weeks passed by and Blake hadn't returned yet. Adam was angry, really upset, he couldn't believe she had left him so easily. He was the only person she had in her life and couldn't think of where she did go. There was still hope for him as he kept repeating himself that winter holidays would start tomorrow, and that's the only time that Adam used to be around and nicer. He was sure that Blake would return so she could speak to him and fix things.

Meanwhile, he didn't have luck alone in the house. He had burned his lunch almost every day, didn't have any idea how to cook and he even forgot to eat while working. Finally, he decided to hire new maids so he would at least have warm food to eat. But the food that the new maids made wasn't as good as the one Blake cooked. He hadn't noticed until now, despite having maids, she always cooked his food with care and love.

Unconsciously, Adam passed half of the morning thinking of Blake and daydreaming until someone knocked on the door of the office.

"Come in." Authorized the bull faunus.

It was his friend, Rodentia, the chief of the Menagerie police. He had called him for he had a specific job for him.

"How can I help you, Mr. Taurus?"

"Please, take a seat." Adam offered.

Rodentia sat and Adam served him some Whiskey. The chief accepted it and drank the content of the glass quickly.

"How are things going with your wife, Taurus?" Asked the policeman.

Adam rubbed his forehead, it seemed like the rumor had been around the people. Contact the police chieftain was the more effective way to find Blake.

"That's why I called you here. Two weeks ago, she left and she hasn't come back. I already called her parents, pretending as if nothing happened but she wasn't there neither. I need you to search her."

"If you allow me, may I ask why she left?"

"We argued and I said things I regret. I want her back."

Taurus wished that Rodentia didn't ask him more questions because he wouldn't know how to answer them. That night he had assured Blake that he didn't want her around but now all he thought was of her.

"I'm surprised. Why are you telling me this now and not twenty-four hours after her disappearance?"

The answer was simple, his pride didn't allow him.

"I was angry." He lied.

Of course, Rodentia didn't believe him. Nobody stays two weeks angry if someone dear disappears. But at least he reacted, sooner or later he would miss her 'annoying' company.

"We'll start searching for her. Don't worry, Menagerie is small. Also, we will see the registers in the docks so we are sure that she didn't travel."

"She has nobody outside Menagerie, she has to be here."

The police chief got up and left the office. Adam stared at the empty blank paper. He had spent days and days trying to compose the Holiday speech, but the only thing he thought of was Blake possible location so he never achieved to even start it.

* * *

Winter holidays arrived and with them, a cold and frozen ambiance. Every day was grey, the snow covering the usual desert behind the house and Blake hadn't come back yet.

Adam was still spending the days locked in the office working. He had nothing else to do. Every day was the same and his life was boring, the work wasn't as satisfying as before. He missed something but wasn't realizing what was it.

One of the new maids he hired entered the office. He didn't even look at her, as usual.

"Sir, can I clean the shelves? I won't be too noisy." Asked the young and beautiful maid.

"Of course."

Adam kept working on his paperwork, redacting reports, instructions or new orders for the branches across Remnant. He had the power to rule over so many people with only a pen and his hand. But that didn't satisfy him, he needed something more he didn't have.

Taurus glanced at the maid, who came closer and was struggling to reach the highest part of the shelf. He trailed her body with his eyes, observing that he could see the end of the stocking due that she was on her tiptoes trying to clean the top of the shelf. He felt his primal instincts burning.

"Come here." He called suddenly, the maid abandoned her job and stood in front of him.

"Yes, Sir?" She asked submissive and obedient, instance reminding her of his missing wife.

"Do you want to earn more money for this winter holidays?" He asked.

"Yes, of course. There are many things I need to cover and the salary of a maid it's not enough." She stared at the handsome man. "What do I need to do?"

Adam smirked and got up, walked towards the maid and tangled his arm around her waist.

"I think you already guessed it, am I wrong?" He whispered near her ear.

She nodded and Taurus smile grew wider.

He roughly pushed the maid facing the table, her skirt revealing her underwear. Adam got rid of his pants and rolled her stockings down.

She would satisfy him… temporarily.

* * *

The winter break was arriving at its end and Adam was still alone. He decided to take a break from the work and enjoy the simple life, resting inside the house, away from the cold. He wouldn't have guessed that on the holidays he would be sitting on the sofa and reading a book once Blake had given him for his birthday. She had an excellent taste for stories. Her memory was becoming more and more blurry, as if she had been vanishing each day.

His favorite maid, the one that made the deal with him, brought him his black coffee. Adam closed the book and held his warm coffee. After giving it a slurp, he took a present out of the chest of drawers beside the sofa.

"This is a gift for you." He said to her.

The maid sat beside him and opened the present carefully. She opened her eyes in surprise when saw what he had bought her. It was a very expensive perfume, something she could never buy with her own money. She put some on her neck and chest and smelled the sweet fragrance.

What she didn't know was that that perfume was the same Blake used. And it was going to be the gift to his wife and not the maid who lets him use her.

"Thank you, Sir." She smiled.

"Don't tell the other maids or they will be jealous."

The young maid sat on Adam's lap and snuggled into his neck. Blake's fragrance entering his lungs.

Adam closed his eyes and imagined Blake replacing the maid. He held her tighter and kissed her forehead.

"I love you." He said to Blake, not the maid.

Now he knew what Blake felt. The maid wasn't mating with him because she loved him, only for the money and interest. The same Adam did with Blake, marrying her only to become the next High Leader of the White Fang, replacing her father's spot.

The woman kissed him on the lips, the flavor of the coffee sliding inside her mouth. She explored inside his shirt, trailing his thorax with her fingertips.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, interrupting the passionate moment. Taurus opened his eyes and found the maid holding him, not his wife. The ache in his heart returned.

"Yes?" Said Adam inviting the one knocking to pass while the maid returned to her cleaning labor.

Rodentia came in the living room of the manor. Adam got on his guard, expecting news about his wife.

"Have you found her?" Asked Taurus worried.

"No traces of your wife, Mr. Taurus." He informed.

"I want her back. Bring her to me!" Barked Taurus at the edge of despair.

"We will keep searching, have patience. We're doing the best we can."

"That's not enough."

The maid understood everything, that he didn't love her. She wasn't hurt because was only after his money and didn't care about him. For her, it was better if they found her wife rotting dead, so she would have more money and Adam would need her.

The chief of the police left and the maid returned to the seat where Adam was rubbing his forehead. She sat and placed her lips on his cheek.

"Maybe I can do something to cheer you up." Offered the maid, sneaking her hand inside his pants.

Adam laid back and let the maid touch and satisfy him, imagining his missing wife in her place once more.

* * *

Past the winter break, Adam returned to his usual routine. He spent the days working in his office and going to sleep late at night. He had isolated himself but occasionally called the maid to comfort him and forget the void Blake created when left the house.

The young maid was assigned to cook this time, preparing every single food Adam ate. He did it because his wife did the same despite having the staff to do it for her. She also had to bring the plates she cooked to his office. So that's what she did that night.

The maid's heart flinched when heard him sobbing. She hesitated on knocking but finally decided to do it because he would need her to comfort himself. The maid didn't receive any permission to enter but finally came in.

The smell of the alcohol was all over the office and Mr. Taurus was covering his face with both hands, terribly sobbing and weeping. He was holding a purple dress and was staining it with his tears. She would never have imagined such man of power crying for a mere woman. He could have anyone he would but there he was, crying for a woman that got away.

The maid approached him, he hadn't even noticed her presence as he was immersed in the tremendous grief and pain burden of having hurt his wife. She left the tray with the dinner on the table and was going to hug him but found a letter with an elegant calligraphy that said:

 _My beloved Adam,_

 _I haven't written you until now because I didn't feel prepared and I wanted to organize my thoughts and feelings towards you. I realized that my entire life was spinning around you, you were my center, my everything, my world, my only love._

 _I'm not going to return home, I don't want to get in your way as you said. I'm not mad, I understand everything you said to me. The fault was mine for falling in love and trusting you. I didn't tell my parents our argument either, I don't want them or anyone to pity me. Besides, I know that if I did you would have to step down as High Leader. I don't know anyone else that could lead better the White Fang, so you don't have to worry about me telling what you did in order to accomplish the leadership._

 _So the only thing I ask you is to retire the order to search for me. I want to start a new life and form a family, something you clearly said to me that didn't want. I let you continue on with your life, so let me do the same. I can't go out because police are around every corner and I want to start from zero. Tell Rodentia to retire the order, please._

 _Goodbye._

* * *

Angst, angst, angst...

I should write more fluffy though, but I'm too dramatic for that. Don't worry, the Christmas drabble called "A furry present" is 100% fluff and contains some comedy. I also have another smut drabble with the kitten/master kink, the assassin AU that Emma had requested almost finished, the mermaid AU near the end (it's really long though), I started selecting scenes from the Beauty and the Beast to make the AU, and all your requests that I have accepted are in progress. I will post them eventually but remind that I'm trying to make the drabbles the most variated I can so if someone doesn't want or can't read M rated themes has something to read meanwhile. I wish the Tauradonna community was more alive, luckily I have all of you, readers.

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, luckily my muses are here while RWBY is airing so expect a lot of drabbles these days.


	8. A furry present

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: A furry present

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** [A Christmas or Non-Descript winter holiday Drabble] Despite being a force of revolution, the White Fang members also love to spend the Holidays with company, sharing presents and spending time with their loved ones. It's the first Holiday that Adam spends with Blake and with their relationship being public he decides to give her a very special present.

 **A/N:** Fanfiction solved the Document manager problem and after some struggling with the website I can post this. Expect fluffy and some comedy.

* * *

The White Fang headquarter of the Vale branch was dressed in red, green and gold. The Nondescript Winter Holiday had arrived and even the terrorist group celebrated it. The members of the branch decided to do an exchange of presents between friends, brothers, and sisters.

I was putting on some makeup before going to the dining room, where they organized the event. Despite not liking much the Winter Holidays, I was excited to spend them with Adam especially. We had made official our relationship before the holidays began to not hide our love around the headquarter.

When I was ready, I got out of the bathroom and went to Adam's office. Even on holidays, he had to work, it was a con of being the branch leader. Before knocking at the door I could appreciate that he was listening to Jazz music and even I could hear him singing along. I knocked on the door and quickly came in, catching him singing infraganti.

"I would like you to perform for me, a private show you know." I said watching the face that he made when I entered.

"My love, I can perform to you but without clothes. If you know what kind of show I'm talking about…"

"Adam!" I laughed, hitting his shoulder slightly and hugging him.

I noticed him staying silent for a while and his eyes observing my body, probably he was shocked that I decided to change my outfit for one more fitting for the holiday: a short and sleeveless crimson dress.

"Red suits you, my love." He tangled his arms around my waist. "I find it really sexy, luckily this year I can mark you as mine in public."

"Wouldn't like the other brothers to steal me from you?" I teased.

"You know who you belong to." He sentenced kissing my neck.

He lifted me and made me sit on the edge of the table. He kissed me passionately, embracing me and his limbs making a delicious friction against mines. He was really turned on, and I was starting to feel the same.

"We will arrive late, Adam." I warned.

"That would be inappropriate as a leader, but it's your fault for dressing up like that, my love. You have no idea of how much power you have on me. Do you like to test my control, huh?"

I laughed and kissed his cheek, noticing the seductive fragrance on his neck and his aftershave lotion. He was in a really good mood and I could guess how the night would end.

"Let's go?" I asked ignoring the last sentences.

He nodded and grabbed the big bag on the corner of the room where we had the presents to the other brothers and sisters of the Vale branch. His other hand held mine and together went to the dining room.

Being the last persons to arrive made us the perfect victims for one of their jokes. As soon as we passed the door, everyone started screaming, pointing at the ceiling where a mistletoe was hanging. The members started clapping and yelling at Adam to kiss me. He didn't like to show affection in public and it didn't amuse me since in private he spoiled me as I pleased.

It caught me by surprise when he tangled his arms around my waist and pulled me towards him. He held my chin up and kissed me sweetly, the other people cheering and clapping excitedly. Our kiss turned into another more passionate and we kissed again and again until someone yelled to get us a room.

After the small show, we sat forming a circle and start the exchange of presents. Some of the brothers of the White Fang insisted Adam to open his first present, one that they bought in common. Taurus disliked being in the spotlight but acceded because he was the leader and the honor to start was his. The lieutenant lent him the present, a big box wrapped carefully in red paper. Taurus opened it and the strange silence that the other members were making was suspicious. Later we realized why everyone was so focused on him.

Inside the box, there were three small packages. The first one contained a box of condoms, the second one a pair of handcuffs and the last a black leather whip.

Everybody laughed at our faces, especially mine that was as red as my dress. Adam turned to stone and quickly put the presents inside the box, but decided to keep it. Surely we would give it a good use.

Luckily, Adam's torture ended and the other members started exchanging presents between them. I exchanged a present with Ilia, she was really happy when discovered that I had bought her a pair of boots with a small heel because she was the shortest of all and always complained about that. Then I opened the present she gave me, by the touch I could tell it was a book but again the silence was made and all eyes were on me so I guessed that this wouldn't be an ordinary book.

I opened it and read the cover, it said: The Modern Kama Sutra: The Ultimate Guide to the Secrets of Erotic Pleasure.

This time everyone laughed at me, included Adam who kept the book inside the big box along with the other 'toys' they gave us.

"It includes a guide on how to-..." Tried to explain the chameleon girl.

"I will read it Ilia, you don't need to say it out loud!" I said blushed and really nervous.

After a while, I remembered that I hadn't given the present I had bought for Adam. I gave him the small box and he thanked me with a kiss on my cheek. I could guess that he was really excited this holidays because those were the first that he would spend with company.

I had bought him a wristwatch because he was always stressed about being late and asking everybody for the time. It was waterproof and worked with dust and sunlight, both options for when he went out on a mission or had to stay in his office doing paperwork. He loved it and thanked me with another kiss, the people clapped again.

"Leader, what's your present for Belladonna?" Started teasing the faunus. "Don't tell us that it will be an engagement ring!"

"I will give you mine in the bedroom." I blushed, thinking that Adam would like to play one of his dirty games. "It's not what you think, but I can give you that too if you want later…"

I blushed and our fellow fighters made a big 'ooooh'. Thankfully that teasing and laughter would end soon along with the holidays. We grabbed all the presents and said goodbye for that day at the other members who yelled all sorts of:

"Have fun!"

"Don't scream too much tonight or we won't be able to sleep!"

"Next year we should give them a night in a hotel."

Internally, I thanked that the exchange of presents ended for us. Finally, we were alone again and Adam seemed to be excited to give me his present. He was unpredictable and I didn't have any clue about what it could be. On our dorm, Adam made me sat on the edge of the bed as he opened the closet and grabbed three boxes: the first one small, the other medium and the other big with holes. I had a Deja-vú.

"First open the medium." Ordered him.

I kneeled on the floor along with him, really intrigued about this present. He had never asked me what I'd like him to buy me so it could be anything. I tore apart the wrapping of the present and I found two bowls on my hands and a plastic box.

"What's this for?" I asked, not knowing what they were.

"Open the small one." He only answered.

I did as he told me and I was between offended and amused when I found out what was inside the small box. There was a collar, a ball of yawn and a fake plastic rat. All of them were cat toys. And I am a cat faunus.

"Adam, this is racist. You are acting really weird today." I commented. "Or do you have a kitten/master kink? You know I have no problem with that, you can tell me-..." Adam didn't let me finish.

"My love, there's the most important present left. You will figure this out when you open it."

He dragged the big and apparently heavy box with holes in front of me. I opened it, keeping a slight eye contact with Adam who was too excited for just a present.

But then I understood everything: the bowl, the plastic box, the cat toys…

Inside of the box, there was a small black kitten with a purple bow tied around its neck, mewling at me. I grabbed the kitten and I held it in my arms, he was purring and demanding some pampering. I was speechless and Adam saw how my eyes teared up as I stroked the little kitty who kept mewling and purring.

"I found him lost in the forest and was going to be eaten by Grimm. So I saved him and I thought that the kitty could be your sibling." He explained.

I embraced the kitty and I came closer to Adam, who embraced me too. I snuggled into his neck, purring. Unconsciously the kitty and I were mirroring our own actions. He kissed my forehead several times.

"But Adam, we can't keep animals on the headquarter." I realized.

"I'm the branch leader and if I want, you can." He sentenced convinced.

The kitten jumped from my arms and began exploring our dorm. I took advantage now that I had my arms free and I hugged Taurus tight. He kissed my forehead several times and whispered me sweet words that made my heart race. We stood like that for what felt like hours and eventually, the kitten joined us and curled up in our legs, sleeping and purring happily now that had a home.

* * *

Yeah! Finally, I could post more fluff to compensate the latest Angst drabble.

I think that the next Drabbles I will post will be the Assassin AU and another smutty drabble called "Blake loves his master".

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, luckily my muses are here while RWBY is airing so expect a lot of drabbles these days.

I hope that everyone that reads this will have a Happy New Year!

Frozenheart7


	9. New year, new beginnings

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: New year, new beginnings

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** A new year begins and Blake has a new objective: Confess her feelings to his mentor and partner.

 **A/N:** I don't remember if I said that I wouldn't make a New Year drabble, but that was the plan. The thing is that yesterday when I was celebrating the beginning of 2018 a new idea came. Yes, inspiration and muses are really inopportune. I returned home nearly at 4 am and I couldn't write down the ideas until today. I made this drabble in a day and I'm glad I can post it now.

Fluffy power on this one!

* * *

The collective dining room of Vale Headquarter of White Fang had been turned into a disco. The ones that volunteered to organize tore apart the tables and chairs and decorated the room. They also had found a hi-fi, or had stolen it from an electronic shop that refused to serve them, and found a DJ in the organization who could prepare good music for the party.

On the New Years evening, the brothers and sisters of the organization ate dinner and celebrated the beginning of the year together, making the countdown and sharing happiness for the end of the year. Everyone assisted, nobody stayed in the dorm sleeping, included Adam and Blake who were congratulating the new year to friends and comrades.

Amitola used her camouflage abilities to surprise Blake, who finally was breaking out of her shell, talking to other members and not being anti-social and shy. Ilia embraced Blake by the back, jumping, almost making her fall. The two friends congratulated the new year, without formalities, laughing and having fun.

"This year is my year, Ilia. I can feel it." Said Blake, looking especially cheerful.

"Are you finally going to confess your feelings to Adam?"

Belladonna's cheeks turned red as she started sweating and looked away awkwardly.

"Umm… I… Let's dance?" Proposed the cat faunus.

Ilia rolled her eyes and moved to the improvised dance floor with the cat faunus.

From a corner of the room, Adam observed his pupil while drinking a beer. Belladonna had grown up. She was no longer an insecure child. She was a young woman, strong, capable of defending herself, independent and beautiful. She had a unique charm while dancing freely, her raven wavy hair moving along with her hips, laughing and enjoying the night with Ilia.

"Are you going to stare at her all night and do nothing?" Suddenly interrupted the lieutenant.

"Mind your own business, pal." Replied the bull faunus to one of his best friends.

"Then I'm going to make a move and court her." Sentenced the lieutenant, trying to make Adam react.

The lieutenant went to the dance floor, close to Ilia and Blake. Taurus stared at him, slightly angry because he knew that the lieutenant had no romantic interest in the cat faunus and he would only use her for one night and nevermore. Blake was not an ordinary party girl. She was sensitive, delicate, sweet, shy, passionate, obedient and efficient, one of his bests. She was his pupil and wouldn't let someone like the lieutenant to seduce her and then drop her after dawn.

Jealousy burned inside of him when Ilia went to buy a drink and Blake was left alone, the lieutenant taking advantage of the situation and proposing her to dance together. Belladonna didn't see a reason to reject the petition and acceded to dance together. Immediately, he pulled her towards his body and danced with her, too close. Blake had only accepted the proposal because Ilia told her that Adam was staring at her and the cat faunus knew that the lieutenant could easily cross a line and Adam wouldn't allow it.

As she expected, the lieutenant started crossing the line, caressing her legs and ascending to her thighs. Blake was wearing a white shirt and a black leather short skirt with stockings underneath and black high heel boots. He stroked her hips and moved behind her, tangling one arm around her waist and putting his mouth near her neck. Belladonna was starting to feel overwhelmed by the touch of the fellow member of the White Fang. She politely asked him to give her more space, not pulling so hard her body against his, but the lieutenant refused, kept rubbing his hips against her but. The cat faunus tried to take his hands off her but she failed. The lieutenant whispered something to her.

"If we keep doing this Adam will finally react and come for you. Don't you want that?" Said Adam's best friend.

Belladonna understood everything and obeyed the plan he whispered to her. They started dramatizing the situation as a slow song began playing. Blake was trying to push the lieutenant away, putting her hands on his chest and he was trying to kiss her. Suddenly, the lieutenant noticed another hand on his chest, stronger and bigger.

"Go away." Ordered Adam, pushing the lieutenant away from his pupil.

The lieutenant obeyed him, turning his back and walking away with a smirk. Adam was so predictable and possessive but still was surprised that he had done nothing since then. That meant that he didn't want to push Belladonna and watched his actions, controlling his jealousy and letting her dance with his best friend.

Blake blushed as Adam turned and put his hand on her back, pushing her forward to his body. The pupil tangled her arms around his neck. Both moved slowly to the rhythm of the music.

"Don't mind him, he was drunk." Taurus lied. "He didn't know what he was doing."

The cat faunus stared into Adam's deep charming eyes. She blushed slightly as he put his other hand on her waist and made her turn, then embraced her by the back and kept dancing.

"Happy New Year, Adam." Suddenly Blake said, moving her sight away because was too shy to confess that to him while staring. "I'm elated to be your partner and pupil and I hope we can still be this year."

The bull faunus lifted her chin and caressed her cheek lightly with his thumb. Blake made a step closer, their hips now together. The cat faunus had to make an effort to not tremble at his touch.

"You are an excellent apprentice and partner, my darling. It's amazing how you have improved and I'm sure you will keep learning and improving this year." Taurus laid his forehead on hers. "I have no doubt that you will beat me soon."

Blake couldn't control her feelings and brushed her lips against his cheek. Her mentor's grip tightened and embraced her. She felt like this was the excellent moment to confess what she felt to the man she loved. She wouldn't do it in training and this was the perfect environment to tell him what she had been feeling.

"I want… I'd like to…" Tried to start Blake, insecure and nervous about his feelings.

"What do you want, my darling?" Asked Taurus guessing what she would ask him.

"Be more than your apprentice and partner. I'd like us to be a couple." Finally confessed the cat faunus, breathing heavily and her heart racing.

Taurus stayed silent but didn't let go of his pupil. He stared at her, looking at how embarrassed and blushed she was, her shyness making her look cute.

"In a romantic way?" She nodded. "I wasn't aware of these feelings towards me."

"I am in love with you, Adam." Insisted Blake. "But I'll understand and accept if you don't feel the same."

The tension of the moment made them stop dancing, just standing and staring into each other's eyes. The cat faunus swallowed saliva, waiting for an answer. She wasn't sure if he felt the same way. She knew that everybody on the headquarter feared him, had respect and he was usually cold. With her, he was different. He had cute nicknames for her, didn't hesitate on having physical contact and was close to her. Maybe it was because they were partners but Blake had to make that step and confess her love to him, she couldn't keep it a secret anymore.

Taurus grabbed her hand and walked out of the dance floor, dragging his pupil behind him without giving her an explanation. Ilis returned with drinks but found the bull faunus taking her best friend to another private place. She sighed resigned but happy that they, at last, got a chance to talk about their feelings. The lieutenant walked towards Amitola, seeing that she had been left alone.

"Hey, Amitola." Ilia turned and faced him. "Do you want some company?" He said seductively.

"I'm into girls." Just replied the chameleon faunus, caring less about the lieutenant than the drinks on her hand. "So go away."

* * *

Adam had brought the cat faunus to one of the desert hallways as everyone was on the New Year party. He wouldn't like to talk about his personal feelings around his subordinates. He hated gossip and rumors and wanted to do things correctly with Blake, who had been following him, not letting go of his hand. The cat faunus was about to have an attack. She felt ridiculous, excited, sad, defenseless, powerful… Everything at the same time. She was a walking contradiction of feelings, a mess on her head and the only thing clear was her love for her mentor.

The couple finally arrived where Adam wanted: the rooftop. The air was cold but the beauty of the night made them forget the low temperature. There was silence, just the sound of crickets and some nocturne birds could be heard. Adam put Blake against the wall and trapped her between his hands, one at the height of her head and the other near her waist. Her chest was going up and down quickly and he feared that she would have a heart attack if he didn't answer.

"Blake…" He started, thinking carefully his words. "For a while, I have been loving someone, but I never confessed to that person because I felt like I was wrong."

Belladonna thought that it was similar to what happened to her. Adam was her mentor, superior, friend and partner. Their relationship was strictly professional and nothing more. Now that she made the step to confess everything she felt, she knew what to answer him.

"If you feel it, why should it be wrong? Everybody has the right to fall in love with someone." Said the pupil trying to convince herself. "Who is that person?"

Adam stared into her amber eyes and caressed her thin waist gently. Her ears perked, demanding a clear answer from her mentor.

"It has always been you. That never changed as hard as I tried... and it won't change."

Belladonna couldn't help but smile and embrace him, leaning her head on his chest and holding tears of happiness. After a few seconds, she felt his warm arms tangling around her, holding her tight and his lips kissing the top of her head. She couldn't believe it. It was like a dream, but she was awake.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Asked his apprentice.

"Same reason as you, my love. I was afraid of losing you."

Belladonna lifted her head and faced him. He was smiling too and looked as handsome as ever.

"You won't lose me." She sentenced.

She pulled him closer, grabbing the neck of his coat and making his nose touch her cheek. She caressed his red hair and pushed his head onwards. Their lips met, colliding and clashing. She slipped her tongue inside of his mouth and caressed his. Blake had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his lips but it was worth it because he was enjoying their kiss, gently caressing her hair and cheek.

"You are a good kisser." Commented Adam breathless. "Have you got more secrets?"

"You'll have to come in bed with me to know."

That answer surprised the bull faunus, who ignored that brave behavior of his innocent pupil. What he didn't know was that his kisses incited her to let go of her shyness and ask what she really wanted. After all, telling him that she wanted to be more than friends went well.

The new year started with an intense night, the couple of faunus wishing to spend the rest of the year like the first one.

* * *

So yeah, I start this year with this drabble. I have more to post and don't worry that this collection will keep growing and growing.

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, luckily my muses are here while RWBY is airing so expect a lot of drabbles these days.

Frozenheart7


	10. Pregnancy test

**Pregnancy test**

 **A/N:** This drabble was requested by a Guest reader who asked me to write about an AU where Blake is pregnant and doesn't know how to tell Adam. This was my first petition asked and here it is, I hope you like it.

I know I said I would post first the Assassin AU, a smut, and more drabbles first, but this was chronologically the first petition I had received and as soon as I finished it I wanted to post it. I have a long list of drabbles to post, one of a Boarding School AU where Adam is a guard and Blake a lonely student, another where they play strip poker and more... Don't worry, this 2018 will be filled with Tauradonna drabbles.

I had another version planned and I left a P.S at the end of the drabble explaining the details. If you like it too, I can write it.

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** The result of the pregnancy test couldn't lie, it was the third intent: Blake was pregnant and she didn't know how to tell Adam.

* * *

The sound of the alarm snapped the two friends out. Belladonna closed her eyes while sitting on the WC, tapping her feet, impatiently waiting for her best friend's final verdict.

"It's positive." Announced Ilia. "You are pregnant, Blake."

The cat faunus stole the predictor from her friend's hand. The pink lines couldn't lie, she was clearly pregnant, there was no doubt. With a storm of feelings inside of her, Blake dropped the third pregnancy test on the trashcan. All of then were positive and confirmed that the delay on her period wasn't an hormonal problem.

"How am I supposed to tell Adam?!" Asked Belladonna desperate. "We always use condoms, this is horrible!"

Blake broke, crying on the bathroom floor. Ilia kneeled and embraced her, rubbing her back to calm her down. She searched for shelter on Amitola's chest and cried for a while, trying to wash away the anxiety.

"Accidents happen. Maybe you broke a condom without knowing." She tried to comfort her. "It's nobody's fault, don't blame yourself."

Eventually, Blake felt comforted, calmed and stopped crying. She washed her face clean, erasing the tears on her cheeks. She had been avoiding her boyfriend for too long. He needed to know the existence of their child growing inside of her.

"You should leave, Ilia. Adam will be here soon and I will tell him." She said caressing her still flat stomach. "I can handle it." She assured faking a smile.

The chameleon faunus hugged her friend and left the Adam's room, where he and Blake lived together on the White Fang headquarter.

When Blake heard the door closing, she got out from the bathroom and laid on the double-sized bed for a while. She stared at the ceiling, the hand still on her tummy, stroking it up and down. She wasn't a legal adult yet, just seventeen years old and Adam was twenty one. Neither of their parents knew they were on a relationship and they risked their lives out there on missions to achieve the equality for the faunus. Blake wasn't sure about being a mother, it scared her as maternity was an unknown topic for her. Adam's reaction also scared her, she couldn't stop thinking of all the possibilities, the different answers he could give her. She didn't know if he loved her, they started their relationship because the tension was too strong to keep just being partners. They had never planned anything more than missions, not wanting to limitate their future.

Thanks to her faunus senses, Blake could hear Adam's steps coming towards the room of the dorm. Her cat ears perked as she heard the sound of the lock opening. Quickly, she used her semblance to rush to the bookshelf and return to the bed, pretending as if she had been reading.

Taurus entered the room and locked the door behind him. He glanced at his mate, laying on the bed while reading, totally relaxed. He left Wilt and Blush on the closet near the entrance and hung his coat, being on his pants and red sleeveless shirt. Then went to the bed and crawled on the mattress until was laying beside Blake.

"Hello, my love." He greeted, kissing her cheek.

"Hi." Replied Blake without quitting the sight off the book.

Taurus snuggled into his girlfriend's neck and kissed it gently. His hands ran down her chest and waist until arrived on her thighs. He rubbed them and moved to her center. He expected some moan or signal of pleasure from the cat faunus, but instead she just closed her legs, stopping the pleasant friction. Adam sighed and stole her book, putting it away on the other bedside table so she couldn't reach it. That was when he achieved to see her eyes, slightly red from the recent weeñing on the bathroom.

"Have you been crying?" Asked the bull faunus worried. "Are you alright, my love?"

His caresses on her face made her heart melt. She was so scared that didn't know what to do and her automatic response was rejection. As before, Blake moved away from him, avoiding the physical contact.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." She said, sitting on the couch.

"Hmph… If you say so." Replied Adam angry.

He got up and went to the bathroom, locking himself inside. Blake rubbed her forehead, the only thing that achieved to do was reject him. That would make the pregnancy announcement worse. She had to tell him. The cat faunus got up and paced in circles, making an internal speech to tell Adam the new. She didn't have time to plan much, Taurus got out of the bathroom sooner than she expected. He was holding the three positive pregnancy tests and had a neutral expression on his face.

"What's this?" He asked serious.

"I-I can explain! T-this… I had a delay on my p-period a-and…" Tried to explain the cat faunus but started crying and made her words unintelligible.

Blake sat on the bed and covered her face with her hands. After a moment, she felt Adam's hand on her shoulder and his arm embracing her by the back.

"Calm down, my darling. It's alright." He whispered to her, with gentle kisses on her shoulder trying to calm her. "I know you're scared but you need to tell me what's happening."

The cat faunus sobbed in his arms, letting his warmth embrace her. Blake curled herself on his chest and let him pamper her, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead.

"I'm pregnant, Adam. I don't know how to face this." She confessed, silencing her cries.

She didn't say anything that he didn't know. Of course she would be scared and obviously the tests said clearly that she was pregnant.

"I know this wasn't planned but that doesn't mean it can't work out." He said, caressing her hair.

For Adam it was easy to say that, but Blake was feeling small, overwhelmed by the situation. Despite going on dangerous missions, rallies and proclaiming a new revolution, she was young. She was afraid to not be good enough to have a child.

"I'm a child myself. How am I supposed to raise one?" She asked to him, staring into his comprehensive red eyes.

Adam put one of her locks of hair behind her ear.

"Our child, Blake. We can raise it together if we decide to." He assured her.

Blake sighed and cleared her throat before asking the question that worried her the most:

"Are you willing to be a father?"

"My love, I know we haven't talked about our relationship and let things go their way, but I know we could be good parents. I won't leave you alone whatever decision you make."

"I don't want to get rid of it. But we can't have a baby here. Not in a headquarter with weapons and bombs."

Adam thought for a while. She was right, the White Fang headquarter wasn't the right place to have a baby. Nobody did before and the installations were dangerous not only for the weaponry but because the human police could discover the terrorist faunus and jail them. Taurus wasn't willing to make their child suffer any kind of pain. He also didn't want to be denigrated by racist humans, flying back to Menagerie could be a good idea, besides, there were Blake's parents and they sure would help them with the child. In Menagerie, there was also a White Fang branch but there things worked different as they didn't have to face physically the humans and the racism. They had other kind of jobs like organizing campaigns. There weren't humans that could hunt, separate and hurt them.

"We could move to Menagerie with your parents. There in White Fang branch we won't be exposed to any risks.. I could work there so we can have money to raise it." He proposed to his mate, holding her tight.

"That's a good idea but I'm afraid of what my father can do to you for making me pregnant." She giggled, more relaxed.

Taurus sweated when thinking of how protective was Mr. Belladonna with his family. But he loved her daughter above all, he was gentle and loving and Adam was sure that they would receive then with their arms open to their house.

"I'm sure I can handle him. Your parents love you, Blake. They won't turn their back to you." She nodded at him.

The couple laid on the bed, cuddling together. Blake gave a small kiss on the tip of Adam's nose. He smiled and placed his hand on her belly, sneaking it behind her shirt. A few seconds after, he felt her hand joining his, caressing the safe haven where their child was growing.

"Do you think it will be a girl or a boy?" Asked Belladonna.

"You are forgetting the most important part, my darling. Will the child inherit your faunus traits or mines?"

"Imagine a redhead cat faunus! That would be cute." Said the cat faunus, excited to think about all the possible combinations of attributes.

Blake and Adam laughed and stared at each other. She glanced at his lips and he read her desire so took the initiative to kiss her. Blake let the passion take control of her and allowed his hands to sneak under her clothes. They had been distant long enough but now they had just built a future together, made a decision that would change their lives forever.

"I love you, Adam." She whispered to him.

"I won't leave your side, Blake. We will raise our faunus child together. I love you both." He confessed before kissing her belly, feeling the first kick of the baby on his lips.

* * *

I was thinking of making a version of this same drabble more angsty like the original idea I had. On that idea, Blake discovered that is pregnant while being on Beacon, just a weeks after leaving Adam and starting the classes at the Academy. Then she would have to return to the White Fang headquarter and tell him since he is the father.

It wouldn't be as fluffy as this drabble. Adam would be hurt and Blake would be unsure if she should get an abortion or return with her partner and mentor.

If you like this idea, I can write it too. (I have already started it anyway).

Share your thoughts!


	11. Stockholm syndrome

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Stockholm syndrome

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** [Assassin AU] Being the daughter of a powerful man can result dangerous, especially if your father has enemies. Little Blake doesn't know what danger awaits her on the next corner.

 **A/N:** This drabble was a request from Emma, who has magnificent ideas.

In this drabble, I used various POVs. There are scenes from Blake's point of view and Adam's. I also used the narrator view for the final scene to describe everything better. I made it clear enough to you the readers to understand. Enjoy!

* * *

Menagerie was in a time of quiet and peace, it rarely happened something that could cause trouble to the chieftain. That's what he thought until one day received a call. The voice on the phone said:

" **Step down as High Leader of the White Fang and you will have your daughter back."**

And then the call ended.

Ghira's heart was thumping, incapable to react. His wife stared at him noticed his suddenly pale skin. With only one glance she saw that something wasn't right. His hands were trembling and he started sweating. The shock made him be incredulous, Blake wasn't at home but he considered that the faunus island was safe for everyone.

"Is something the matter, dear?" Kali asked.

The chieftain of Menagerie and High Leader of the White Fang checked the hour on his scroll.

"Blake is in her violin lessons, right?" The wife nodded.

"She is late, she must be speaking with her teacher. You know they get along very well."

Ghira was overwhelmed, he couldn't believe what the voice on the phone told him, but he wouldn't stay quiet when there was his daughter's life at stake and a threat to his family.

"No, it's all my fault! I knew the rebel faunus would want me to abandon my position on the White Fang once I became Chieftain of Menagerie… too many power in someone's hand and they have her. Guards!" The two guards at the entrance heeded the call of the chieftain. "Go find my daughter at the music school!"

The guards nodded and ran outside the room with their large weapons.

Kali got up and stroked her husband's shoulders uselessly trying to calm him because she was scared too. Ghira was hot-headed but that intense reaction could only mean one thing.

"Please, dear, tell me what's wrong! Something happened to Blake?" Begged Kali.

Ghira swallowed saliva and cleared his throat, slowly meditating his words to not alarm his wife.

"The splinter group of the White Fang... They have kidnapped her." Kali's eyes teared up, Ghira closed his fist with strength. "As a ransom they want me to step down as High Leader."

Kali didn't have time to react. The scroll buzzed again. Ghira picked up frenetically.

" **It's useless, you won't find her anywhere. Just do what we tell you, tomorrow you will announce that you step down and I, Sienna Khan, will be your successor."**

"Please, let me speak to her. I just want to hear her voice."

A few seconds later, Ghira had to separate the scroll from his ear because his daughter was screaming from the other line.

* * *

I was dizzy, I could hear a voice speaking as a distant echo. A man. I tried to free my hands but I had them tied to the chair I was sitting on. I shook my head, trying to erase the fuzzy sensation from my body.

The last thing I remember was going out of the music school and some group of masked faunus surrounding me. Then someone made me inhale a strange gas and left me unconscious. I had been kidnapped, but why?

"... and you will have your daughter back." Was all I could hear.

Were they ransoming me to my father?

Then someone came towards me, it was a female faunus. I tried to focus my sight on her, but the drugs they used to kidnap me were still knocking my senses out. It was difficult to stay awake.

"Good girl, Belladonna." She patted my head and I flinched. "You are being very useful."

She was dark-skinned, had a beautiful short ebony hair and her skin had tiger stripes. On top of her head had ears like me, which made me think of a feline faunus. She seemed gentle, her clothing made her look like an oriental queen. She didn't seem the type to kidnap people.

I tried to speak, ask what did they say to my father, figure out who they were and what did they want. All came out as a muffled voice, I had my mouth silenced by a piece of cloth.

"Shh… Tomorrow it will be over." Said the woman, leaning closer to my face.

He placed her lips on my forehead and I shivered.

"I'm sorry you have to experience this only because you are the daughter of a powerful man." His hand went to my cheeks, where tears were running down. I hadn't noticed them until then. "You are so young and beautiful."

Who would tell that a fifteen years old girl like me would have been kidnaped on her way back home after music lessons? Menagerie had always been a safe haven, there was no criminal activity, just minor conflicts. After all, the faunus island was built for all the faunus and my father was the one elected to be the chieftain.

I tried to reply back but all that I could do was muffled sounds through the piece of cloth. The woman laughed and then went to a dark corner of the silent room. We weren't alone, there hiding was a man with a sword, probably a guard. He seemed familiar, he must have been one of the faunus that had surrounded me after music lessons on that dead-end street.

"Adam, watch and take care of her while. I'll return in a moment." She said before leaving the room.

From the dark corner, Adam got up and came close to me. He was a redhead, with black horns and had a mask placed on his face. He was tall but I could tell that he was older than me, around twenty years old. He was carrying a weapon on his belt, a large katana with a shotgun. He seemed dangerous and didn't show any sympathy towards me, just staring at me, his eyes the biggest enigma since were always hidden behind the mask with Grimm designs.

I tried to speak and move my hands, the handcuffs making metal sounds. He raised his hand to my face and I tried to get away but he didn't hurt me, just retired the piece of cloth from my mouth. His facial expression wasn't friendly.

"Relax." He said keeping his distance but still watching me.

At first, I didn't dare to speak, staring at him with fear but seeing that he didn't move or said anything I finally spoke:

"What has my father to do with this? What do you want from me?"

He ignored me and kneeled, being at the same height. He smirked and chuckled, he seemed to be one of those dark persons who found pleasant seeing someone going through pain and angst.

"Answer me!" I yelled.

He got on his feet and lifted my chin, my jaw was trembling for the suspense of the situation.

"You are small but awfully noisy." He chuckled.

He had the intention to return the piece of cloth into my mouth.

"Wait, A-Adam… The handcuffs are too tight. It hurts." I tried to do my best acting.

"If you stopped struggling it wouldn't hurt." He replied and stuffed the cloth into my mouth. "Keep quiet so you don't disturb leader Khan."

A few seconds later, the tiger faunus returned. She was the leader of a splinter group of the White Fang. I had heard the 'Khan' name before from my father's mouth. She believed in violence and attacking the humans to achieve equality, thinking that they would win respect through fear. Adam sat in his dark corner as if nothing happened. She looked at me and then turned to Adam.

"The scroll." She asked and he gave it to her, then stared at me and said: "Looks like daddy is searching for his kitten around Menagerie."

I narrowed my eyes at her, who was making fun out of me and my family.

"He doesn't believe us?" Asked Adam. "Then we should give him some evidence."

Khan nodded and made a signal to Adam, who stood behind me. I couldn't see what he was doing and that made me panic but the handcuffs kept me in my place. Sienna marked the number on the scroll and impatiently waited until my father picked up. There was a moment of silence and then she spoke:

"It's useless, you won't find her anywhere. Just do what we tell you, tomorrow you will announce that you step down and I will be your successor."

It was their master plan, they only wanted one thing, my father to step down as High Leader. How miserable. Achieving things through violence… how cowards.

" **Please, let me speak to her. I just want to hear her voice."** I could hear my father's voice with my feline ears.

Sienna made a signal to Adam, who retired the piece of cloth from my mouth and placed the sword's edge on my neck. I shivered and tried to get away uselessly.

"Scream or I will have to hurt you." He whispered.

I didn't obey. I wouldn't cooperate with them and worry my father more than he was. Sienna repeated the same signal and Adam didn't have another choice than hurt me, stabbing me in the shoulder. I screamed in pain and tears ran down my eyes uncontrollably. Khan smiled satisfied and left the room, still with her phone in hand negotiating something I couldn't focus on since the pain was too big. Adam placed the piece of cloth in my mouth again

"Bite it, it will help to endure the pain." He advised.

It helped a bit and I spent almost half an hour resisting the pain before Sienna came back with a satisfied smile on her lips.

"Strange that you didn't hurt her the first time I told you. You usually take advantage of this situations." She commented.

"She is one of our kind, I thought I could make her scream with only telling her to."

Khan smirked and stared at me. I was sweating due to the effort to endure the pain and the lack of blood was starting to make me look awfully pale. From the stab, there was a lot of liquid coming out and I feared that soon I could die to bleed.

"Is that so? I thought you didn't obey because you find her pretty. Wouldn't you like a sweet submissive girlfriend like her?"

My heart froze but I was too busy trying to stand the pain to look up or protest. That woman was sick, ill, mad… How could she do all she did just to be the new High Leader?

"Submission is no fun, fired they have to struggle. The more difficult, the sweeter the victory." Replied Taurus cleaning my blood off his katana.

Sienna laughed staring at my shocked face. At this point, I found her capable of everything.

"Little Belladonna is strong but we can't leave the wound like this. Use your aura on her, Taurus. I will tell the others to prepare something to feed her."

The fact that they were talking about me like an animal or worse, like an object, made me mad. But there was nothing I could do. I could barely breathe normally.

Sienna left once more and left us alone. Adam came to me but I kept my eyes looking at the floor. He placed his hand on my bleeding shoulder and I heard a strange sound. Some kind of force field was surrounding us, a red bright and strong glow around us. I felt the pain disappearing slowly, comfort replacing the horrible sensation.

He lifted my chin up and removed the cloth, allowing me to speak.

"Better?" He asked and I nodded.

Then, he moved behind me and readjusted the handcuffs until they were not as tight as before. I wouldn't thank him, I had no sympathy for criminals like them. Despite that, he didn't return the cloth to my mouth so I was free to breathe and speak comfortably.

Taurus stood on his feet, laying his back on a wall as he cleaned carefully his katana. He stayed as close as he could, like if he wanted me to appreciate his beloved weapon, the one he used to hurt me.

I took advantage of the loneliness and I examined the room. It had no windows, the walls were painted in black and in the center of the ceiling an old light bulb that sometimes flickered was hanging, near my head. My chair and Adam's were the only pieces of furniture in the room except that he had a small table beside him.

Adam, when finished taking care of his sword, returned to the corner and sat. He opened a book and started reading, I couldn't see which one was from where I was sitting but I wouldn't ask him anyway. Eventually, the boredom made me do it, being curious. I couldn't help, I was too passionate about books and the funny question: "what do criminals read?" was repeating in a loop on my head.

"Which book are you reading?" I asked him.

"Doesn't matter to you." He replied.

He was like me, also being upset when people interrupt his reading. I stayed silent, trying not to make a noise and piss him off. I didn't know how to feel about him, he was just following orders. I closed my eyes and tried to think about other things like what would I do when I returned home with my family. I realized that my violin must have been left on the dead-end street the White Fang member had kidnapped me, so I couldn't practice.

Every second felt like an hour, I had been kidnapped around three hours now. My feet were frozen to the bone, the room was really cold and I was wearing an outfit that hadn't been keeping me warm.

Sienna returned after negotiating with my father. I didn't know what was her plan but I knew that in tomorrow's speech he would have to step down as High Leader of the White Fang. I didn't want him to do it. He was a natural born leader, guiding the faunus for the right path despite being exposed to violence and hate. Besides, someone like Sienna didn't deserve to be a leader, she was dangerous and insane.

"Seems like you will have to spend the night here sweetheart. Don't worry, Adam will stay with you." She said with a motherly tone, I didn't know if she was making fun out of me or just being sincere.

Khan left as soon as she came and left me in the room together alone with Adam. Then I noticed that Sienna had given him something before she left. It was a sandwich.

Taurus left his book on the table and started eating his sandwich right before my eyes. He heard the growls in my stomach and stopped eating, got up and slowly came towards me. I flinched, scared, but in the end, he just placed the sandwich on my lips.

"Bite." He ordered. "You need to eat."

At first, I didn't trust him but my primal necessities were the priority. I needed to eat or I would starve locked down there.

* * *

I woke up after an awkward night, sleeping tied on a chair wasn't comfortable and I barely achieved to rest. The first place I looked at was on the vigilante's corner, searching for Adam. He wasn't in the room, instead, I found a chameleon faunus replacing him, sitting on the chair and Sienna beside her, who seemed really angry. Both noticed I was awake and stopped talking between them. Khan came to me, I could see the fury in her eyes.

"Your father loves to play, huh?" She said to me and grabbed my face, her claws nailing on my cheeks. "Or doesn't he love you enough to renounce to the leadership?"

By her words, it seemed that my father hadn't fulfilled the agreement. I was proud that he didn't accept Sienna's conditions. People like her didn't deserve to get what they want and less if they try it through violence.

"You will be staying here a little more than expected." She caressed my cheek with her thumb. "Don't be sad, sweetheart. We will take good care of you."

She left to the chameleon guard food for me and whispered to her something I couldn't hear. She waved her hand at me and left the room again. I waited a few minutes before talking to the new guard who was watching me behind her mask with horns. She didn't seem as friendly as Adam… if I could describe him as friendly.

"Where's Adam?" I asked, no answer.

The chameleon girl stood up, her red ponytail moving along with her hips. She checked my handcuffed wrists, that were purple due the tightness and hours I had spent with them on my wrists. Then she unlocked them and made me get up, I barely could stand on my feet. With a rough push, she kept me standing.

"Move, to the bathroom." She ordered.

She had to guide me because I didn't know where I was going. Soon I found out that the bathroom was passing the other door in the room where I was being kept. It was small, it had a metallic small shower and a WC. She allowed me to use it and turned around to give me some privacy but not before showing me her weapon trying to intimidate me.

"Undress." She ordered.

Internally I thanked Sienna or whoever that the female faunus was the one making me shower and not Adam. But that didn't change the fact that I was shy about my body and trembling as I left my blood-stained clothes on the floor. I tried to cover my body with my arms but soon the guard pulled me by the arm and led me to the shower. My skin shivered when the cold frozen water fell on me, I couldn't help but yell.

"We're out of hot water." Explained the chameleon girl and then handcuffed me to the metal bar of the ceiling of the shower.

I had to stand on my tiptoes to touch the floor. She used a bar of soap and rubbed my skin, cleaning all the blood and dirt I had. She wasn't rough but was going fast and trying to clean me the best as she could. I noticed that I didn't have any scar on my shoulder where Adam had stabbed me. She passed the soap all over my body, feeling embarrassed at the sensation and wishing to get out of there as soon as I could.

Finally, that frozen hell ended and she unlocked the handcuffs and handed me a towel to dry my body. She opened a closet next to the shower, searching for something.

"My name is Ilia." She suddenly said.

I didn't expect her introducing herself. She was rough and not very polite but I thanked I knew how to call her.

"I'm-..." I started but she spoke again: "I already know who you are."

She found what was searching inside the closet. She was holding clothes from the White Fang trainee. She looked at my naked body and chose the smallest ones, that she thought that would fit me.

"If you don't like it you can go around naked."

I noticed some spots on her skin turning pink. What would that mean?

"No, it's okay." I said snapping out of my mind all the intrusive thoughts.

I accepted the clean clothes and put them on quickly. The clothing consisted of black loose pants and a t-shirt with the White Fang logo on the back. Meanwhile, Ilia threw my other clothes in the trashcan. They were my favorite but there was nothing I could do. Then she handed me a brush and I brushed my tangled and wet hair straight but she didn't allow me to use a hairdryer. I was freezing, the water on my hair was falling on my clothes.

"Let's go. I'm sure you want to end this as soon as me." Said Ilia grabbing my hand and returning to the same dark room where I had spent more than twenty-four hours.

She didn't chain me to the chair, that was something that I could thank because my wrists were marked really bad and it hurt. Instead, she gave me food and left me in peace while eating two sandwiches, the only thing the White Fang members seemed to eat. When I had finished them she handed me a bottle of water and then took the handcuffs out of her pocket.

"Please, no." I asked. "My wrists hurt really bad."

She did it anyway. Once more I was chained to the old chair.

"I will give you something for the pain." She showed me a pot of pills. "Open your mouth."

"What's that for?" I distrusted her.

"You will be more relaxed." He tried to give me the pill, but I refused. "Open!" She said pushing it on my mouth.

She ended forcing the pill into my mouth and I didn't have another choice than swallow it. I hoped she hadn't lied to me about the effects of the pill. She sat in the corner and stayed quiet, bored and swinging her legs up and down.

"If you have brought a book you wouldn't be bored." I advised. "Do you like reading?"

There was no answer but I wasn't concerned about that because my body started feeling weird, between dizzy and sore. I entered in a state between asleep and awake, I had hallucinations and didn't know if it was because I was dreaming or she had drugged me. I lost the sense of time.

* * *

"You have drugged her?" Asked a known masculine voice.

"She was annoying and pushy, asking for you all the time." Ilia replied.

The door closed and there was silence. All I could see was dark. I sensed two hands on my wet shoulders.

"Amitola doesn't know how to take care of a prisoner." He said.

There was silence again and a while ago I could hear the sound of a hairdryer and fingers brushing my hair. The cold disappeared and a comfortable warmth replaced it.

I could tell that a few hours had passed but I wasn't sitting on the chair anymore. I opened my eyes with my sight dizzy and focus on where I was. I saw the same room with no windows, black walls and the lightbulb in the ceiling but the chair was empty. Instead, I was laying on the darkest corner of the room, the guard's place.

"The sleeping beauty finally woke up."

I sat, scared, on the ground. I had been laying on Adam's lap for a few hours, sleeping peacefully. And he had been caressing my hair. He was calmed, still with the book in his hand. I had his jacket on my shoulders.

"What?" My head hurt. "I feel horrible."

He left the book and approached his hand to me, I moved away scared, crawling back on the floor, his jacket fell.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down."

"You did." I said touching my shoulder despite not having any mark after he used his aura on me.

"Orders are orders, I gave you a chance." He replied as kneeled before me, I was facing the mask. "Give me your hand, I'll help you get up."

He offered me his gloved hand and I placed mine on his. I didn't hesitate, he had a point. He was my center, a rock, helping me get up and handing me some water to drink. The disgusting flavor of the pill that I had swallowed disappeared.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

I shook my head, I was still dizzy and I could barely move on my own. The water arrived at my stomach and a wave of acid stirred my belly. I needed to vomit.

"I need to-..."

Adam saw that I wasn't feeling fine as I brought a hand to my stomach and I started to cough. I put the other hand in my mouth to try and stop the vomit. Taurus unlocked the door to the toilet and I ran inside. Luckily, I could hold the vomit in until I kneeled before the WC. He held my hair and supported me as I coughed horrible waves of acid and discomposed pills. He held me until I rested my head against the wall of the bathroom. He wiped the sweat off my face.

"That's why I didn't give you pills." He explained.

"It's not for the pills, it's for the nerves. I don't know what's happening between Sienna and my father and I'm scared."

Adam touched my hand and helped me get up. He had a warm smile on his lips and really sensual lips.

"Come on, I'll read you something." He said.

* * *

I was tied to the chair again. Sienna was speaking with my father through the scroll and she was really angry. Adam was behind me, with his hands on my shoulders.

"Twelve hours, I'll give you that and nothing more!" She yelled. "Get some rest and tomorrow you go to the council and give them the signed documents of your renounce."

" **Let me speak to my daughter, I need to know if she is alright."**

Sienna sighed and allowed it. She held the scroll near me. Adam took the piece of cloth off my mouth. The tiger faunus nodded at me.

"D-dad…?"

" **Oh dust, Blake! Are you alright?!"** He asked worried.

"I'm fine."

" **Sweetheart, be strong and don't worry. Hold on, I'll find you."**

That meant that he wouldn't accept Khan's petition. He was still convinced that with the help of his guards would find me, something that he was doing since the White Fang splinter group kidnapped me. And he hadn't been successful for now.

"Dad, do what they tell you, please!" I tried to yell but Sienna had already retired the scroll.

"Twelve hours." She said.

"Dad! Listen to me! You have to-..."

As I kept shouting, Sienna got angrier and unleashed her claws. It was in a matter of seconds that she had slapped me, leaving four long and deep scratches on my cheek. The hard impact made the chair fall and I ended on the floor.

Two hands untied me and got me out of the room, bringing me to the bathroom. I didn't dare to look up as tears and blood had stained my face but I knew that it was Adam. I felt a force field around me, a powerful energy that healed my wounds. Then he placed his gloved hand on my cheek and I hadn't had any wound or scar there. He lifted my chin and wiped off all of my tears of sadness, angst, and pain.

"Don't cry, Blake." He said caressing my face.

I couldn't help but hug him, searching for protection in his warm and strong arms. He was almost my captor, my guard, but he was only following orders and tried to be nice when I needed something. He was a good person, I thought as he wrapped me into his chest, rubbing circles in my back. I sobbed until my heart told me to stop and Adam didn't leave me until he made sure that my tears had stopped.

"Thank you, Adam." I kissed his cheek sweetly.

Taurus froze when I placed my lips on his soft cheek, even when I got separated he was still surprised. He stared at them, rose petals of pleasure and couldn't help but kiss me back, this time on my lips.

We ended laying on the floor, he on top of me, fingers tangled in each others hair and our hearts and bodies burning. He slipped his tongue inside of my mouth and rubbed his hips against mines, I could feel his hardness against my thighs. I accepted him, smelling his pheromones, accepting him as a mate as our lips crashed.

As a result, both were breathless, tired for the intense moment.

"Are you okay?" I nodded in response. "Did you like it?"

I opened my eyes, I was panting and my heart was racing.

"A lot." I confessed.

Someone knocked on the locked door of the bathroom.

"Adam, what are you doing to the poor prisoner?" Said Sienna, she seemed to like to tease Adam about me. "Anyways, tie her again when you have finished."

The thing was that I liked and responded to all his kisses. Our faunus instincts accepting each other as a mate.

* * *

After Khan left, who seemed happier after negotiating with Ghira Belladonna, I let Blake sit on my lap and I read her a chapter of the book. She was exhausted after we shared that passionate moment in the bathroom and fell asleep. I covered her shoulders with my jacket and embraced her little body, holding her tight.

I didn't know if it was for my mating season faunus instincts or some kind of deeper feeling but I felt the urge to protect her at all costs. I couldn't stand how Sienna marked her with her claws and seeing her so vulnerable and crying, helpless. It wasn't just lust and mating instincts. That meant that I… cared for her.

I passed my fingers through her hair, I had even taken my gloves off to feel her better. My heart thumped when her hands searched for warmth on my body. I asked myself what was what she felt. Maybe she was too scared and alone and needed someone by her side, not love implied. She was a frightened and kidnapped teenager searching for shelter on somebody's arms. But why did she allow me touching her? Was it in exchange for my protection? She knew that what I did to her marked her as my faunus mate, that meant that she had accepted me as a mate too.

What about her future? Her father didn't seem to have the intention to step down, just have his guards and police to search for his daughter. They wouldn't achieve anything, the place where she was being kept was impossible to find. It was inside Menagerie but in an unsuspectable place, on a soundproof basement of an Inn that belonged to Ilia's family. They would never search there.

If twelve hours passed and Belladonna didn't step down as High Leader, I would have to kill Blake. I was one of Sienna's most trusted men and she usually used me as a hitman, the one that does the dirty work. That would be against my mating instincts… and will.

Suddenly, someone opened the door, surprising me and waking up Blake. It was Ilia, it was her guard from now on four hours. But this wasn't the issue, the true problem was that she had seen how I disobeyed Sienna's orders.

I could read her jealousy even if she was hiding her eyes behind the White Fang rebel section mask. Some spots on her skin turned red.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I had found you mating with her, but this?!" Ilia said disgustedly seeing how I was holding her lovingly in my arms.

I made Blake got up and I put her behind me.

"This is none of your concern."

"You are acting like an Alpha, how cute. Do you think you scare me?" Mocked the chameleon girl.

"Aren't you an Alpha too? The only difference is that I have her and you don't." I replied knowing Ilia's preference towards female mates.

She lost our little argument and I knew that she wouldn't touch or hurt Blake while I was gone.

"Adam!" Blake called while Ilia was handcuffing her. "Will you return before twelve hours pass?"

I nodded. That caused me some sadness. She was accepting her deadly fate. She had no hope left and wanted to say our goodbyes before being executed was her last wish.

What she didn't know is that I would be the one to finish her life. Because I always took care of Sienna's dirty job and that case wouldn't be an exception.

* * *

Twelve hours passed by. The time had arrived. Her father didn't obey Sienna's orders, underestimating her.

"Kill her, Adam." Khan sentenced.

Amitola had informed Sienna what she found when opened the door. Adam in love with the little-spoiled daughter of the ruler of Menagerie and she seemed to return that love too. Now Khan was testing Adam's loyalty by making him kill her and was recording everything to send it to Ghira. The father had to see his daughter's dead and cold corpse with the blood staining the floor and her eyes begging for help. All because of him, the burden of the fault and regret on his shoulders. A heavy weight that would leave him incapable to keep leading the White Fang and at the same time being chieftain of Menagerie.

Blake had her head down as Adam placed his sword on her neck. She couldn't believe what was happening, that her life was about to end being so young. But truly, she had never had hopes to get out of that dark basement alive. What her heart couldn't stand is that the one she was in love with would be the one killing her. Both were trembling, Blake could notice Adam's sword shaking and she was too cold and too scared to hold her emotions and feelings.

"Cry louder, sweetie, your father will like the sound of it." Said Sienna grinning.

"Make it quick, Adam." Blake whispered to him, the situation was hurting more than her actual destiny. She thought death was a void and a cold, but no pain. Otherwise, her alive heart was the one responsible for her cries and she wanted it to end soon.

"No…" Whispered Adam. "I won't do it!"

Before Blake could think that he was answering her petition, Adam's sword was no longer on her neck and he attacked Sienna.

Little Belladonna couldn't believe what her eyes saw, Adam betraying his leader, stabbing her in the stomach and dropping her dead body, a corpse, to the floor. He didn't have time for the shock, the next thing he did was unlock the handcuffs that were tying Blake to the chair. He made her get up and ordered her to keep silent, but Blake was too shocked to obey him:

"Come with me, Adam. My parents will forgive you and you could stay with us on the manor." Blake asked him desperately. "You saved me, we owe you this and more. Please." Continued begging.

Adam put his ear to the door to hear if there was anyone in the hallway, luckily he didn't hear a thing. It was empty.

"First we have to get out of here." He sentenced, holding her hand.

He ordered the cat faunus to act as normal as possible as if she belonged there. Luckily, Adam's clothing was black and the blood that stained certain parts of his jacket weren't too noticeable. Blake had the trainee uniform on, so he thought that the cover of a novice member would be enough to get out unspotted. Sienna's plans were clear to all the people on the splinter group but nobody except Adam and Ilia had access to the daughter of the actual High Leader so if they were lucky nobody would recognize her on the trainee uniform. Taurus made sure to keep her behind him and covered to avoid dragging unnecessary attention.

When Blake saw that she had been all these days kept in a basement of an inn in the same Menagerie she couldn't believe it. Just above of the soundproof dark room she had been kidnapped, there was a bar with normal customers and people having fun and drinking in their free time. The air smelled of cigarette and alcohol and the sound of the faunus talking and laughing was kinda annoying for her, who had ears as a faunus heritage.

"Are all of the customers here White Fang members?" Asked the cat faunus looking around discreetly.

"A big part of them. The Innkeeper has Sienna's trust." Explained the bull faunus. "Come on, keep walking behind me."

Blake grabbed the end of his jacket and followed his lead, moving the crowd of the inn to make their way outside the building and return to the chieftain's manor, where they would find shelter.

But suddenly, Adam found a familiar face on their way: Ilia Amitola.

Blake remembered how unkind and weird she had been with her the hours she was assigned as a keeper on the basement and immediately hid behind Adam, who instinctively grabbed his weapon. Ilia noticed the bloodstained shirt that the bull faunus was wearing under his jacket and narrowed her eyes to him, unwilling to let him pass until she obtained answers.

"Did Sienna finally give the order to execute the prisoner?" Mocked Ilia. "And you obeyed despite having her as a plaything all these days… how brave."

Adam ignored her rude commentary. It was true that they never did get along well because competed to earn the position of Sienna's right hand and most trusted man. Now that Khan wasn't there, things could go wrong so the bull faunus just said:

"I need to take a shower to clean off the blood."

But then, Amitola noticed two small hands holding into Adam's back. When Ilia tried to look behind him and find who was hiding, the bull faunus didn't allow her, roughly pushing her back to her place.

"Don't you dare to touch me once more or I-..." Threatened Amitola, her skin changing to a red tone.

"Let me pass." He kept insisting, this time more serious.

"Just you? Or do I have to allow the pass to sneaky mouse behind you too?"

Said that, suddenly, Ilia used her whip to attack Adam. He dodged the electric charge that would have hit him if he stood in the same place. But Amitola's intention wasn't to hurt him, just make him move to see if her suspicions were right. And they were: who Taurus was protecting was the daughter of the High Leader and the blood on his clothes was from Sienna Khan.

"Everyone catch them!" Yelled Ilia pointing at the faunus couple.

The bull faunus grabbed Belladonna, lifted her up on his arms and run from the inn. He knew that Ilia would give the order to execute them for treason to the splinter group leader and nobody would hesitate to obey due to their loyalty to Khan. Blake tangled her arms around Adam's neck and looked behind them. Ten men at least were running along with Ilia, charging their weapons. She couldn't bear the weight of the burden, Adam was risking his life just to save her. He had known Sienna since he was a problematic teenager and he betrayed her just for a prisoner who fell in love with.

They achieved to go outdoors and Taurus ran as fast as he could, finding a crowded area where surely the police would be searching for Blake.

"Listen to me, my darling. If they keep following us we won't arrive too far. You go on ahead, search for your father's guards and ask for help.

"But what about you?!" Complained the cat faunus.

"I'll distract them, just make sure to be safe and search for support."

Adam let go of Blake on a corner of the street that brought to Kuo Kuana. She ran fast and disappeared into the crowd, but not before turning to see the bull faunus once more, unsheathing his sword willing to confront an amount of White Fang members.

Belladonna ran to the market, where a lot of people would be there and surely some police would be watching the zone. It didn't pass long until some citizens recognized her despite being dressed as one of the White Fang trainees. Eventually, a policeman spotted her and immediately went to help the agitated girl than now was panting.

"Belladonna!" Yelled the guard calling at the policemen around the area. "What's happening? From who are you running?"

"A guard that helped me escape needs help, he's near the Inn, it's the hideout of the splinter group! You need to hurry!" Blake explained quickly.

Ghira's guard ordered the police to go and help Adam and arrest the members of the splinter group that had conspired against the chieftain. Blake was brought home despite complaining, wanting to see with her own eyes if Taurus was alright, but the guard insisted that her safety was a priority.

On the living room of the Belladonna manor, there was silence and despair. Ghira wasn't sure to sign the documents that Sienna had sent, allowing her to become the new High Leader of the White Fang. Ghira was an important and powerful man, he could do whatever he wanted. He had a choice: sacrifice lives of humans that surely would die if Sienna's philosophies were the new orders on the White Fang or save his daughter's life. He was the chieftain of the faunus empire and a leader of a peaceful organization trying to be a connection to mankind, fighting for equality and faunus rights, but he was also a father and wanted his daughter back, safe and sound.

Kali noticed that the time that Sienna gave them was over, her husband had to make a decision now. She didn't think he would sacrifice Blake but ging Sienna the leadership would have terrible consequences.

"Dear…" she started. "You need to choose."

Suddenly, two knocks on the door interrupted Ghira meditating and his wife trying to keep calm. One of the guards inside of the living room opened the door and revealed who was on the other side.

"Blake!" Yelled Ghira too impacted to react properly, immediately getting up and hugging her, lifting her feet from the floor and holding her tight.

When the father put his daughter down, she hugged her mother who had tears in her eyes and embraced sweetly her baby girl.

"How did you-...?" Asked Ghira immediately hugging his wife and daughter together again.

"I escaped but I didn't do it alone. Dad, a guard helped me and he needs shelter because he will be accused of treason. He killed Sienna, refusing to follow the order to execute me." Explained Blake quickly, deeply worried about Adam.

"Of course, we will give the guard everything he needs." He left the mother and the daughter behind and went to his own guards. "Search him and bring him here, we owe him a lot."

Blake breathed more calmed now that the guards went in search of Adam. She made sure to describe him detailedly: a redhead, handsome, strong and young member of the White Fang dressed in red and black blood-stained clothes.

As Ghira tore apart the document that Sienna sent him to make the exchange, Kali and Blake sat and drank some tea, the father quickly joining them.

* * *

The same afternoon after Blake's return, the policemen reported that Adam got away from the White Fang members that wanted to execute him for treason to their leader. But, unluckily, he also got away from the police too and disappeared. Ghira ordered to keep an eye on the island for him, but didn't make it a priority. Blake was glad that he got away from the members of his faction safe and unhurt, but deep down there was a sadness. She had the hope to start a life with him. She didn't tell her parents everything that happened while being kept in the basement but she made sure to explain all the help he had offered her. If it wasn't for him choosing her over his leader, she wouldn't be alive.

Belladonna returned to her room and changed her White Fang trainee clothes for her usual pajamas. She laid in bed and enjoyed the comfort of the mattress, not having to sit on a broken chair and handcuffed anymore. The marks on her wrists were slowly disappearing and in a week the purple bruises would be gone. Belladonna closed her eyes, willing to sleep and forget everything that happened, but an unusual smell woke her senses.

Blake rolled over the mattress and found a rose, a book and a note on her bedside table. She thought that it would be a present for her return from her father, and grabbed the rose smelling it. The flower reminded her of the design of Adam's jacket. Then she stared at the book and realized that it was the one that Adam read her during his watch. The cat faunus quickly grabbed the note and read it:

" _My darling,_

 _I would have put you in great danger if I had stayed. I will return eventually, but first I have to solve some things out of Menagerie._

 _Don't worry, I won't kidnap you to see you again._

 _Adam."_

* * *

Obviously, the title was sarcastic.

To the readers: Which drabble do you want me to post next: A smutty kinky one, Blue Lagoon AU, Boarding school AU...?

As always, I'm open to requests and new ideas from you.

P.S: I have started writing Valentine's Day especial drabble. I'm considering writing Adam's birthday drabble (and same with Blake's). Any idea?

Frozenheart7


	12. Blue Lagoon

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Blue Lagoon

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** [Blue Lagoon adaptation] A White Fang ship sinks and there were left only two young survivors that end on the shore of a desert island.

 **A/N:** This drabble is an original idea I had one day thinking about what could happen if Adam and Bake were like Adam and Eve, alone living in the wild and falling in love. Then I realized that Blue Lagoon (an excellent movie) had a similar theme and I decided to make an AU of that movie.

Obviously, there are some things that I had changed from the movie, eliminating some scenes to make it shorter and make the characters not much OcC.

 **Answers to the Guest Reviews:**

 **Osheana259 & NyanCat:** Since you two have similar reviews I'll answer them together. You and all the people that said to change the rating were right, It was just that on the beginning I had a censored version but in the end, I changed it into something more explicit. The rating is changed now, thank you for the advice.

I could mix your ideas together and make a romantic drabble where Blake and Adam have a special dinner on a rose garden, they engage and then smutty delicious things... I'll find a way to connect all of those.

Thanks for leaving a review!

* * *

On the middle of the ocean, way between Mantle and Menagerie, a ship was sinking. There were columns of dark smoke tainting the blue sky as airships of the Atlas military property were retiring from the mission. They had destroyed the ship and killed everyone on the ship except two young faunus.

Adam arrived at the shore an hour after the ship sunk into the ocean, leaving the White Fang members forgotten under the sea. He promised vengeance for his family and fellow faunus. He had been sitting on a small broken boat, the waves leading it to a small island, the only earth near. It wasn't big but had vegetation and surely animals to hunt. He had lost hope about surviving but anyways would try it. The water was filling the small boat. It didn't matter what the young Taurus did, the boat ended sinking too.

The bull faunus swam until arrived at the shore of the island, being only a few feet away from where his boat sank. Once he could kneel on the sand, coughed all the salt on his lungs and recovered his breath. Adam looked around, there was just nature and luckily there wouldn't be Grimm as the island wasn't populated. He got up and took his wet shirt and pants off and left them on a trunk of a palm to dry. The sun was shining bright and the air was hot, but the light wind refreshed his skin that was still wet from the salty ocean.

First of all, Taurus decided to do a walk around the perimeter of the island, surrounding the shore. He has calculated that being back in the same palm where his clothes were drying wouldn't take more than two hours. He started the walk around the island, following the shore, his feet drowning on the water but still stepping on the sand. The only things he could hear were the seabirds and the waves, the island was peaceful and lonely. There were also trees with fruit, the only thing he needed was drinkable water to keep alive.

Suddenly, something blocked his clear path on the shore. Laying on a table of wood, there was an unconscious cat faunus. Adam got closer and drew her and the wood to the sand of the beach. He made her lay with her stomach up. She wasn't breathing and wasn't able to detect the pulse. He could tell she was dehydrated and had swallowed a lot of water. She seemed two years younger than him, around twelve years old.

The bull faunus used the PCR technique that the White Fang taught at the trainees on the first aid lessons. He placed his hands on her chest, noticing two bulges as she was on the age of development and growth. Without much hope, Adam added pressure to her chest intermittently. After a few seconds, the cat faunus coughed water and woke up. She opened her amber eyes and saw the read head boy examining her state. She leaned forward and breathed heavily, coughing the water left on her lungs.

"You were on the ship too." He remembered that she was the chieftain and former High Leader's daughter. "Blake Belladonna?"

"Who… who are you?" Asked Blake once she had recovered. "Wait, you are Mr. Taurus son, Adam." He nodded.

Taurus offered her his hand and helped Blake get up. She managed to stay on her feet and noticed that she was wet and that Adam was almost naked. Belladonna looked around and observed the desert island where they were trapped.

"We are going to need to work together to get out of this island."

"What do you mean by getting out?" She asked.

"I want to make a boat so we can escape." The bull faunus said.

"It would be better if we make our own fort here and wait for a ship that can rescue us." Complained Blake.

"You should listen to me, little girl. Without me, you wouldn't last a day."

Blake huffed angrily, she thought that Adam was more immature than her despite being older. Only because he was a boy and a trainee of the White Fang he thought that knew everything and treated her like daddy's spoiled angel.

"On a boat made by you, we wouldn't last a day." She replied.

"You don't want to cooperate? Fine. I'll make the boat and you can make your house and play mommy and daddy with the wild animals around." He sentenced, going away.

Blake followed him despite being angry at his rude attitude.

"I just want to assure or survivance! We need water and food." She tried to explain, realizing that being trapped on the island would be more terrible alone.

"If I'm hungry and there's no food around I will eat you."

* * *

As Adam stayed near the shore trying to build a boat, Blake picked a strategic place to build the shelter. There were palm trees above so they would block the rain and the sunrays. From there she could also see the shore and the sea so they could spot a ship to rescue them, but at that moment the only thing she could see was Adam roasting under the sun and struggling to cut a piece of wood.

The cat faunus had collected fruit and explored the island. She found a lagoon and drank some water before washing the salt off her body. She had lots of bananas, enough for her and none of them ate since they had arrived on the island. She decided to move to the beach, with two bananas in her hand. Adam didn't even notice her staring at him while trying to repair the boat that he had used to arrive at the shore of the island.

"Adam." She called him and he turned, seeing her offering him a banana. "Do you want some?"

He rejected it, ignoring the cat faunus and continued working on his own way to escape.

"Having fun there building a shelter? Do the wild animals help you?" He mocked rudely.

"What's your problem? I have found food and even drinking water on the island." She said proudly, being it enough to shut the bull faunus up.

She returned to her shelter and ate there some bananas while observing at Adam. He was rude and stubborn but deep down she knew he had to be a good person. His skin was turning red because he had spent many hours under the sun. She was sure he would ask her later where was the lagoon so he could wash the pain of the sunburns away.

Blake decided to continue with her own project: building the house. She used the trunks of the trees as a support for a roof. She climbed to the palm trees and tore off some leaves that she would use as walls and roof. After she had enough tree palm leaves went in search of trunks to build a structure. She would use stripes of palm tree trunk to tie them up and make them stay. Once she had all the material, the cat faunus built the main structure with eight trunks, tying them to the tree palms for more stability.

Suddenly, she heard a loud crack. She turned to the direction of the sound and saw how Adam's boat crashed into the rocks. He swam to the shore and laid on the sand exhausted. Blake ran there and kneeled beside him.

"Are you okay?!" She asked worriedly.

Adam refused her touch and pushed her away. The wind that was starting to blow was what made his ship crash, the waves were high and on the horizon both could see lightning and a dark grey sky. A tempest was coming.

"The sun will set soon. If you help me finish the shelter we can sleep there." She insisted.

"You are only trying to convince me because you know you can't do it alone."

"Why are you so arrogant?!" She asked pissed off by his attitude.

Blake left him on the shore alone, picking the pieces of the broken wood of the boat. She returned to her work, putting more trunks on the roof off the shelter and then covering it with palm tree leaves, making layers of leaves and trunks to make it resistant to the storm that was coming. The house wasn't big but it was enough for rest. The ceiling wasn't high and Blake had to kneel to enter but once she was inside the leaves and trunks isolated her from the wind and surely the rain. Once she was able to lay down inside the house, she realized that she needed a bed. Once more, the cat faunus got out and went in search of something comfortable to lay on.

She returned to the lagoon that was only three minutes far from the shelter. The place was like a fairytale scenario. There was a cascade and the water fell into the small lake. There she drank some more water and relaxed for a while, trying to vanish the anger she felt for Adam, who kept underestimating her. She wanted to impress him and with her shelter he would be impressed indeed. She would have washed again because the heat was strong and she was sweaty but the storm was closer and time was running out to finish the shelter.

Blake checked some plants out, she found some bushes that could replace pillows but they were too hard for her head. She could hurt herself nailing the branches. Then she found the solution to the problem: moss. On a big esplanade there was moss. It was clean and comfortable. She grabbed one rock that had a cutting edge and grabbed a big rectangle piece. She tried to lay her head on it and found that moss was probably the best thing she could find. The cat faunus cut enough moss for her and Adam and brought it to the shelter. She thought that the moss as a pillow was enough since it was warm on the island and Blake didn't want a blanket to make her sweat during the night.

The sunset arrived and Blake contemplated it from the shore, where Adam left the pieces of his broken boat. She couldn't find him anywhere but thought that loneliness would make him so good to think about her plan that was way better than his. When the waves were too high for Blake to stay on the beach, she returned to the shelter, that was camouflaged between the first dense lines of trees and bushes. After Blake went to sleep, she tried to make a fire because the ambiance got colder but she didn't achieve it. Then went once more to the lake to drink before going to sleep and on her way there, she found Adam using a small cave as a shelter. He had made a fire and was eating fruit.

"Why don't you come with me?" She asked.

"I don't need a little girl to help me." He answered.

Belladonna ignored him and soon the first drop of rain fell into the island, showering it. The fire that Adam made was soon extinguished for the rain. His small cave couldn't cover him well and he had to curl into a corner for the rain to not dip him. Blake had her shelter and the palm tree leaves kept the water out of the little house made of trunks. She was proud of herself and thought that she didn't need Adam as she ate some bananas and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly. It was warm on the island and when the cat faunus wake up decided to go and wash on the lake. First, she ate some bananas that she had left the other night and then walked to the waterfall. Nevertheless, when she arrived saw Adam who was naked doing the same she was going to do. He was letting the cascade wash his head as his hands rubbed his body with the water. Blake stared at his masculine anatomy, amazed because she was just a child and had never seen a naked male faunus. Taurus noticed that he was being watched and spotted the cat faunus glancing at him.

"You are not as stealthy as you think." He yelled from the lake.

"You are not as good as you think." Replied back Blake. "I have my own shelter finished and you still didn't manage to repair that boat."

Adam growled and turned her back to her, drowning in the lake and swimming peacefully. Belladonna ignored her thirst and decided to search more fruit before returning to the lake, hoping that for then he would be already gone and had returned to the shore.

* * *

Blake spent the day watching how Taurus was uselessly repairing the boat and trying to sail on the sea but he had failed each time. He was stubborn and didn't give up despite everything. The cat faunus was sewing a blanket of tree palm leaves. She had but the edge of the leaves that could sting and with a hairpin that she had and with coconut tree stripes sewed the leaves together. She spent hours with that because she needed a big blanket for her and maybe Adam. It wasn't easy, sometimes the tree stripes that she was using as a thread broke and she had to tie it and search a new one to continue. Despite all, she occasionally glanced at the bull faunus who struggled with the construction of his boat.

Eventually, the cat faunus finished the blanket, at least for that day because she was tired. Before the sun, et she went in search of more water and fruit. As there wasn't much light, she walked carefully but at some point she heard a hissing and a dangerous whistle below her.

Taurus heard Blake screaming several times and immediately left the construction of the boat to find her. He ran, seeing the efficient shelter that she had built and didn't find her there.

"Adam!" She yelled and he could guess she was deeper into the forest.

He ran and followed the sounds she was making until he found her laying on the floor, grabbing her leg and whimpering. Taurus kneeled beside her and retired her hands from the leg, seeing that an animal had bitten her.

"A snake." She said. "I think it was poisonous!"

Taurus lifted the girl and brought her to the shelter, kneeling to enter and making her lay on the mattress made of moss. The bull faunus checked her bite mark and saw how a fang of the snake was still nailed there. He retired it carefully, making Blake yelp. He noticed that a strange purple liquid was dripping from the fang and immediately detected that it was venom.

"Blake!" Called Adam seeing that she was slowly closing her eyes. "Don't fall asleep!"

On a desperate intent to extract the venom from her body, Adam lifted her leg and placed his lips on the bite. He sucked the wound, trying to retire the purple liquid. He spat some of his saliva, Blake's blood, and purple venom.

"Where are you?" Whispered Belladonna while having hallucinations.

"I'm here, stay focused!" He yelled to her but she was on her own world.

Taurus tried it once more, this time his fangs nailing on her skin, trying to make the wound deeper so he could suck the venom on her blood. Blake started to tremble, whimpering and sweating for the effect of the venom. Adam was scared and didn't know what else to do, just kept sucking her wound and then spitting what he had in his mouth. Belladonna fell asleep, unconscious, or dead, he couldn't tell the difference. He placed his ear on her heart and noticed that her heart was still beating.

"I didn't mean to say you were useless!" Adam shook her body but the cat faunus didn't react "Wake up!"

It was useless to move her, she was unconscious. There was nothing more Adam could do, so he covered her with the blanket that she had sewed before and left the shelter, grabbing a bowl that she had made with a coconut shell. He went in search of water and more coconuts. On the lake he filled the coconut shells with water and later he climbed some coconut trees to achieve more fruit.

When he returned to the tent, Blake was still unconscious. The bull faunus broke the coconut by the half with the help of a rock. He drank some water and when the bowl was empty filled it the coconut liquid. It was sweet and drinkable and surely nutritive. He stared at Blake, who was still sweating. Adam made her lean forward and placed the coconut on her lips, carefully making her drink the content of the fruit.

The cat faunus coughed and woke up exalted, spitting some coconut water. Adam sighed relieved and helped her to sit.

"How are you feeling?" He asked concerned.

"Dizzy but at least I'm not in pain." She answered breathing heavily.

Taurus pulled her into a tight embrace, surprising the cat faunus but not rejecting the contact. He laid her head on his chest and let him caress her hair.

"You scared me! Can't you see that you can't go on your own?"

"And what do you propose to do?" Asked Blake.

"We will have to watch and take care of each other if we want to survive."

That was what Belladonna had proposed since they met on the island but she was glad he finally stopped rejecting her. Adam gave up on building the boat and was willing to cooperate with Blake to build a better shelter and wait for a ship to pass. She was useful indeed and Adam knew how to make fires and could help her with the construction of the house. Blake laid on the moss bed and left an empty space for him to lay, patting it.

"It's big enough for both." She said.

Taurus nodded and laid beside the cat faunus, leaving a prudential space between them. Blake closed her eyes and thought of how crazy this two days had been since they were trapped on the island.

"I can't believe they all died." Suddenly said Adam. "We are alone in this world."

"We have to be grateful that we are still alive." Reminded Blake.

She searched for his hand below the blanket and held it gently. Adam caressed her palm with his thumb. Soon the bull faunus, exhausted for the tiring day, fell asleep. Blake joined him soon, glad that Adam was finally willing to cooperate with her.

* * *

They had spent more than a year on the island. Their skins were tan and their hair grew much wilder. Despite all, there was still humanity on them, although they were faunus and not humans. Their small shelter was now a two-floor cabin. They had a small garden where Blake planted vegetables and fruit. Adam had built a rod and each morning he went fishing. On the beach they were constantly burning a fire for the ships to notice the black smoke from the island but none of them ever came or passed.

That morning Blake was sewing their clothes, adjusting them to their bigger bodies now that they were older. She wished she had her mother to explain to her why she bleed each month and why sometimes her body burned while sleeping with Adam, who was touchy and stubborn lately.

"My darling!" Called Adam from the beach. "I'm making the breakfast!"

"I'm coming!" She said, leaving the clothes aside and grabbing the fruit smoothies she had prepared.

She got out of the tent and found Adam cooking the fish on the big fire on the beach. She sat beside Adam and he lent her a stick with a fish nailed on it, cooked. Blake ate it as he stared at her body. She hadn't covered her breasts because she hadn't finished sewing her clothes. He was mesmerized staring at her more developed body.

"What are you staring at? Are you going to eat or what?" Asked the cat faunus noticing that he had almost burned his fish.

Taurus ate his breakfast and drank the fruit smoothie his partner had made. He finished very fast and got up, leaving the cat faunus alone. She observed how he returned to the shore but she didn't mind and kept eating. Suddenly, she felt something sticky on her back. She turned and saw Adam who had thrown a ball of mud at her hair. He laughed and grabbed another one, aiming at her. Blake got up and run away, being followed by the bull faunus who was insistent on annoying her.

"Come here, Blake." He called.

"No! Leave me alone!" She yelled laughing.

Adam managed to catch her and pinned her down the sand. The cat faunus struggled to let go but he managed to keep her under his control and slam the ball of mud on her waist. Blake laughed as Adam tickled her, not allowing her a rest.

"Adam! Stop it!" She yelled laughing.

Taurus obeyed and stopped the tickling, just holding her wrists down. Belladonna recovered the breath and stared into his eyes. She noticed that he was staring at her lips.

"You are so weird lately, Ada-...!"

He slammed his lips against hers wildly and made her submit to him. Blake didn't struggle and let him make his way, freeing her hands from his grip. He moaned feeling her warm tongue dance with his. He caressed the breasts that he couldn't stop looking as she mewled below him. She tangled her arms around his back and felt him placing butterfly kisses on her face and neck.

Either it was bound that kept them together all these years alone on the island or the instincts for survivance, Blake and Adam fell in love with each other. As they were young when their ship sank, none of them knew well what love was or how was it supposed to work. Adam, being the older now, was the only one that knew a little more.

"Why am I burning?" She asked feeling a strange heat overwhelming her. "You make me feel dizzy."

"Shhh… Let me handle this, I know what to do." He assured.

Adam made Blake spread her legs as he kneeled. She felt a throbbing bulge on her center as he introduced it slowly inside of her, making her scream in pain. The cat faunus had never done something like that and was scared and nervous.

"It hurts!" She yelled scratching his back.

"It feels good." He said feeling her warmth around him. "You are too tight."

Taurus kept her pinned down the sand as he thrusted inside and outside of her. The cat faunus cried for the pain and struggled with him to let her go but he was older and stronger.

"You bleed every month because you are no longer a child, my darling. You have changed, you are a woman now." He explained but Blake didn't listen to him because was too focused on the pain that he was causing her.

"Stop! I don't like it!" She ordered.

Adam let go of her and painfully got out from her inside, making her scream. The cat faunus crawled away and went to the lake to wash and the blood sliding down her legs. Taurus sighed, having to renounce his pleasure because she wasn't comfortable with him.

Later at night, Adam went to their cabin to sleep. On the second floor he found Blake naked already laying on their moss mattress. He slowly took off his clothes and laid beside her, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her back gently as an apology for what happened that morning but Blake didn't speak to him. He spoiled her for a while, caressing her back and placing his lips on her cheek.

"Let me try it again." He insisted. "I swear I will be more careful."

Blake turned and faced him, caressing his cheek. He regretted his actions and wanted her to give him another chance.

"I want to feel the same pleasure you experience." She said. "Why I can't?"

The bull faunus told her to lay and let him see why she felt pain. He kissed her forehead and parted her legs for him. He examined the area, caressing it gently. He rubbed her lips not thrusting his fingers inside of her yet.

"Tell me where does it feel good." He asked, rubbing her womanhood skin.

Blake didn't feel pain and on certain areas, a tingling sensation appeared. She moved his hand to where she liked, on top of her entrance. He rubbed there and was surprised that she started moaning and swirling in pleasure. He kissed the spot softly, and sucked a rose button on her womanhood.

"There! Don't stop!" She mewled.

Her legs shook and started sweating as Adam obeyed. He used his tongue to lick the small round button and suck it gently. Then he kneeled between her legs and used his fingers to keep stimulating the spot.

Then, taking advantage of her being distracted with the pleasure, introduced himself inside of her and didn't stop rubbing the spot. He noticed that she was wetter and less tight and didn't complain when he thrusted in and out. Her moans excited him and felt her walls spasming around his hardness. She soon succumbed into a wave of fatigue and embraced him while mating. She retired his hand from her center and enjoyed him inside of her. Blake embraced him and even pulled him closer, tangling her legs around his waist.

"My love…" He moaned.

Soon Taurus was sent over the edge and let go inside of her, his seed placed on her. He rested for a while before pulling out his manhood. The cat faunus was happy that she could finally enjoy their lovemaking and embraced him after covering their naked bodies with the blanket.

* * *

Adam and Blake were having dinner on the beach. They had cooked fish and as usual they were sitting on the sand. She enjoyed the fish that Taurus caught every morning. After finishing the dinner, the cat faunus laid on the sand and stared at the stars. A few moments later, he joined her and both stared captivated at the sky. His hand found hers as she tried to find the brightest star of them all.

"The world has forsaken us. Why should we keep this fire burning if we have nothing out there?" Suddenly asked Blake.

She was right and both knew it. They had made their own home on the island and nobody cared for two orphans lost faunus. The world thought of them as monsters, wild animals. Suddenly the sound of a horn blaring called them. A big ship was crossing the sea for that route but the ship seemed human and only Adam woke up to try and figure more information out. Blake didn't even care enough to sit and stare at the sea.

Suddenly, Taurus grabbed a bowl full of water and threw it to the fire that they had made on the beach. The warmth disappeared and there was no way the ship could spot them now. When he turned, Blake was already waiting for him, holding out the hand to go together for a walk.

"Did we make the good decision?" He asked concerned.

Blake nodded as he held her hand. They made a walk around the beach, their feet on the shore touching the cold water.

"Our parents died because they were trying to fight. It's better to stay here and live in peace… together." She replied after thinking an answer for a long time. "Don't you think?"

Adam agreed and brought her into the dense nature of the island. They climbed a small mountain until arrived at a cliff. Both sat on the edge and stared at the ship disappearing into the darkness of the night. After a while, Taurus felt his partner's head on his shoulder, she had fallen asleep. He lifted her on his arms and returned home.

* * *

Next week I'll publish the Valentines Day themed drabble.

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, and the hiatus will be too long to not have RWBY shipping material!


	13. Love letters

**Love letters**

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** [Valentine's day themed drabble] Blake has been receiving love letters, gifts and notes from a secret admirer for months. At first, she thought that it was a joke but as time passes by finally sees that the feelings of the anonymous person are true, so she decides to find out the true identity of the secret admirer.

Fluffy material 100%

Hope you all like it!

* * *

Willing to start her training routine on the White Fang headquarter along with his mentor, Belladonna opened the locker where she kept her weapon, uniform, and ammo. A note fell from inside and fell to the floor. The cat faunus looked around and saw nobody so grabbed the note and read it:

" _Good morning, beautiful. Keep smiling and have a good day."_

Unconsciously, a wide smile appeared on her face. She had been receiving anonymous notes, presents, letters and gifts since November. Now it was February and Valentine's day would be in two weeks. At first, Blake thought that this 'secret admirer' was a joke from Ilia or someone else on the headquarter that wanted to fool her. But then the gifts were more frequent, she had received presents that were worth and the anonymous knew her daily routines and problems. Every time she had a bad day the notes would cheer her. On her locker, under the pillow, her closet, on the bedside table… The secret admirer knew her well but she didn't know her identity… yet.

"What are you doing, Belladonna? Hurry!" Yelled Adam, seeing how the cat faunus hid the note behind her, trying to make disappear the blush on her cheeks and smile.

Blake left the note inside the locker, grabbed Gambol Shroud, some ammo and rushed to the training field where her mentor was waiting for her. She needed to be punctual or he would scold her severely.

* * *

"Another present?" Asked Amitola, entering the dorm Blake and her shared.

The cat faunus was sitting on her bed, holding a rose while reading a letter. She looked up at Ilia and nodded, sighing resigned. Amitola changed into her pajamas and sat beside her roommate, leaning forward to read the letter that had Blake concerned.

" _My darling,_

 _I admire your passion and strength, always fighting for our race and not giving up despite the difficulty of the assignments. If the world were a better place I would dedicate my days to love you._

 _I hope you accept this letters instead. At least for now._

 _Sweet dreams and sleep well, my love."_

"This makes me vomit." Sentenced Ilia, who deep down loved romance but tried hard to pretend otherwise. "Why that face? You usually like this despite being creepy."

Blake got up from the bed and kneeled, sneaking her hands under it and pulling out a cage where she kept all the letters. She saved this one there too and hid the cage again. The cat faunus had been keeping this topic as a secret. She disliked gossip and only Ilia knew about the secret admirer because sometimes she found presents in their room.

"I want to meet the person who does this." Finally said Blake, sitting back on the mattress and smelling the rose that was along with the letter.

"The 'secret admirer thingie' is for cowards." Insisted Amitola, finding it ridiculous.

"Maybe is shy like me and doesn't want anyone else to know."

The two friends stayed in silence for a while.

"Would you give that person a chance?"

"Everybody deserves one."

"You are a lost cause, Blake."

Well, maybe she was.

* * *

Another morning, another letter on her locker. Nevertheless, Blake didn't even care to read it and less smile as she supposed the note would say. She hurried, changed into her trainee uniform and grabbed Gambol Shroud to train with Adam who luckily today wouldn't make her train too hard. She didn't waste time on opening gifts or reading letters and arrived punctual and even earlier than Adam.

The cat faunus sat on one of the benches near the space she and her mentor used to train and cleaned her weapon carefully, killing time until Adam arrived to start the training. After a few minutes, Taurus appeared and prepared himself, then moved next to where his apprentice was sitting. Blake was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't notice her mentor behind her, that gave him time to observe that she was sad.

"What's wrong, Belladonna?" Suddenly spoke Adam, scaring the cat faunus.

Blake pretended a better face, not smiling but her eyes were more open and her cat ears perked, not folded down.

"Nothing." She said trying to convince herself. "Shall we begin?"

Adam shrugged and lend Blake two simple katanas, ordering her to leave Gambol Shroud and his own weapon, Wilt and Blush, aside for now.

"Today we will be focusing on your sword skills since when you use dust your movements are not powerful enough to create a long-range cut…" The cat faunus was lost in her thoughts again. "Belladonna pay attention to me."

"Sorry, what were you saying?" She apologized, fearing that Taurus got angry and yelled at her.

"I was saying that you are going to tell me what worries you. Now." He ordered angry.

Blake got chills down her spine as she stared into his red eyes. He was severe, strict, cold, professional and despite knowing her well, they didn't have a friendship like Ilia and her. She trusted him but his role in her life was different. He was older and more responsible and serious. Sometimes she didn't feel worthy his time because he was a skilled fighter and she was a sloppy novice.

She didn't feel like telling him the 'secret admirer' thing but had to or he would keep pushing her to either focus on the training or explain what was she thinking of. Blake sighed and sat on the bench, her mentor joined her as she thought about how to start her explanation. The topic wasn't comfortable for her since love was private to her, but she didn't have a choice.

"I started receiving anonymous letters. The sender told me that was in love with me and now I receive them daily."

She explained everything but not wanting to give a lot of details to her mentor since it was awkward to talk about these topics with him. Adam was strict and professional, she was his pupil and he was his mentor.

"I see… Does it bother you? Maybe I can find who does it to make it stop."

"No, that's not the problem. I want to meet that person and talk face to face."

"Do you pity the sender of the love letters?"

Obviously, yes. Someone who loves and is not responded with the same feelings…

"Maybe a little." She answered shortly because she didn't want to give Adam her vision of the romanticism.

"What do you feel for him?" Asked the mentor concerned. Blake was surprised for the interest on this dumb topic. She thought he would find it infantile.

"That's why I want to meet him." The bull faunus stayed silent, not knowing how to continue the conversation. "You know what? Forget it, Adam. It doesn't matter."

Taurus nodded and they continued with the lesson. Belladonna returned to her normal attitude, listening and learning what Adtaughthed her. Despite all, she noticed a slight change in his attitude, acting even more mysterious than usual.

* * *

The coldest month of the year arrived along with tempests and frozen blizzards that made the whole trainees renounce the training outside of the building.

Blake tried not to make a sound to not wake Ilia up, who had arrived before her to rest in the dorm. The cat faunus tried not to make a sound, changed into her pajamas and washed her teeth in the bathroom. Then prepared the bed, moving the pillow so she could pull the bedsheets from under the couch to cover herself.

A paper slipped from the pillow, falling to the floor. Blake grabbed it, intrigued. Would it be a poem or a sweet dreams note?

" _My love, I have noticed that you no longer smile at my notes, letters, and presents._

 _I wanted to give you the opportunity to meet me, we have a lot to talk about. If you really want to know who I am, come to the rooftop of the headquarter at midnight on the 14th February._

 _I hope I will see you there._

 _Devoted to you, your secret admirer."_

Blake's smile grew wide, she didn't expect that at all. It was perfect. The fact that Valentine's day was coming made the secret admirer have enough courage to reveal his identity. She would assist to the meeting, she wanted to speak to the sender of the letters. Finally, the enigma would be solved. The cat faunus checked the calendar, that would be in two days, enough for her to think about what to do whoever it was the secret admirer.

* * *

The cat faunus, stealthily, sneaked to the rooftop at midnight. Luckily, the next day was Sunday and the lack of sleep wouldn't affect her since she could rest. She wasn't supposed to be there after curfew and if she was spotted could get in serious trouble, and he wanted to keep the secret admirer as a personal business.

Silently, Belladonna went upstairs and found that the door that led to the rooftop was already open. She got out, wondering if the secret admirer had arrived punctual, but there was nobody outside. She was carrying the box where she collected everything the secret admirer sent to her, included some flowers that she dried between the pages of her books.

Blake sat on the edge of the roof, feeling the cold air brush her hair and cheeks. She opened the box and read some of the first letter and notes that received in her locker.

" _Hello, Blake._

 _I'm not very close to you but I admire your beauty, strength, and conviction. Being around you brightens my day, please, never stop shining._

 _Dearly, your secret admiror."_

That was when Blake thought Ilia fooled her, being a joke for her. But she denied knowing anything and the letter and gifts kept appearing in her locker.

Suddenly, somebody opened the door of the rooftop. Belladonna turned to see if her secret admirer had arrived but instead she found Adam. Blake's heart rushed, she was in trouble. His mentor and tenant of the branch found her outside of the dorm past curfew. She would be in great trouble because despite being partners, he was strict and professional above all.

"A-Adam! I promise that I'm here just because it's important. You know I never break the rules, it's my first and last time! I swear I'm here for a good reason!" She explained desperately.

"What 'good reason' might that be?" He asked.

"I'm meeting the person who sent me all those notes, letters, and gifts." She explained, justifying her fault.

Adam laughed at her, who wasn't realizing what he was truly doing there at midnight. He showed her a rose that had been hiding behind his back. Then gave it to her and Blake, mesmerized, accepted the gift. She felt his gloved hand holding her hand as he brought her to the edge of the rooftop where they sat. Belladonna was speechless, staring at him while feeling his thumb caress her palm. He took off his mask and grabbed her other hand too, kissing it gently.

"Blake, I am who you have been waiting for." He finally confessed.

* * *

I have spent Valentine's day with my cat. At least I have all the romance I want in my life thanks to Fanfiction.

Next one a smutty fic? What would you prefer?


	14. Sacrilege

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Sacrilege

 **Rating:** Despite not having explicit scenes, this fic has dark themes such as religious punishments, bullying, sex and genital mutilation. If you are sensitive to any of these topics, please don't read this.

 **Summary:** [AU Boarding School] I was selected to be the new guard of a prestigious religious boarding school. There were only girls, polite or spoiled teenagers that I wasn't elated to deal with. That's what I thought until someone caught my attention. Sitting on a solitary bench, reading and giving breadcrumbs to the birds, there was a beautiful faunus girl. She had cat ears and her raven hair was tied in a long braid. She had an extremely pale skin, similar to the whiteness of the snow. Her amber eyes mesmerized me, her rose lips captivated my instincts and I lose the sense of time while staring at her. I had fallen for her.

 **A/N:** I wrote this story in two days, inspired on my own experience being on a religious school when I was a child. There are Weiss, Yuma and Ilia cameos and some OCs, but they are not important, just some nuns.

This drabble is strange, I know. I couldn't help but write it. Love between a student and a security guard on a religious boarding school is an adventure worthy of writing, or a least trying to.

This is the result:

* * *

I was selected to be the new guard of a prestigious religious boarding school. The place was isolated, near a mountain, the views were amazing. The snow fields were the only thing around the building and despite wearing a thick coat I was cold. My principal aspiration on my life wasn't being a guard, but I needed money and in that place the nuns paid well.

One of the most experienced sisters welcomed me, opening the entrance door that was as old as her.

"You are Adam Taurus?" She asked with a sweet voice.

"Yes. The new guard." I answered.

"Poor Frank… He was the oldest and most experienced of them all and died. You are the youngest guard here now." The nun said remembering that I was twenty six years old.

When the nun turned, I rolled my eyes and followed her. We entered in a courtyard, a peaceful frozen garden where two old guards were watching the students that were spending time on it. There were only girls, polite or spoiled teenagers that I wasn't elated to deal with. That's what I thought until someone caught my attention.

Sitting on a solitary bench, reading and giving breadcrumbs to the birds, there was a beautiful faunus girl. She had cat ears and her raven hair was tied in a long braid. She had an extremely pale skin, similar to the whiteness of the snow. She noticed I was staring at her and glanced at me. Her amber eyes mesmerized me, her rose lips captivated my instincts and I lose the sense of time while staring at her.

"Don't let yourself be fooled by Blake Belladonna's innocent demeanor." Warned the old nun.

"I will keep that in mind." I replied watching Blake's cheeks blushing, she did seem innocent and pure.

I kept staring the cat faunus while we were on the courtyard. Later I had to abandon the beautiful sight because we entered to the main building. The nun showed me my room, I would be like any other student interned on the school, spending there the whole week. I would be exchanging watches with the other guards, sometimes at night and other during the day. On the weekends I would have some free hours and one weekend of the month I would have vacations. She showed me the classrooms, hallways where the students had their rooms, the library and the dinning room. The building was smaller than it seemed but the prestige wasn't questioned. They were organized and extremely religious, the girls had classes about manners and posture, music, art, literature… all a good lady might need on a future to find a rich husband.

* * *

My first weeks at the boarding school had been relaxing. For my surprise I didn't need to interact with the spoiled students but at the same time I regret not needing to do so, because I always saw the lonely Blake Belladonna reading. I learned her routines, she used to spend her free hours inside on the library, alone as always, traveling to phantasy worlds while reading the authorized books of the shelves. Those weren't what a teenager might like but for her were enough. She never talked to anyone else, mostly because the other students were humans and she was the only faunus. She even didn't have a roommate because the nuns rejected to make a faunus and a human girl companions. Some of the staff of the school was racist, I experienced some reject from teachers and guards for my bull horns.

Time to time I became the best guard of the school, being the eye of a hawk. Nobody could sneak during my turns and if some students were smoking or making something they shouldn't I always caught them. I won the respect and trust of the nuns.

One night, I was watching the entrance of the school. The evenings were calm, nobody went out on the courtyard. But that night, I caught some movement on the bushes near from the door. I could feel somebody staring at me. I pretended that I was distracted and then I would catch the student that was trying to get out in fragrantti so the chief nun could punish the disobedience.

As soon as I heard sneaky steps going towards the door, I made a jump and grabbed the student by the back of the neck. She struggled wildly, trying to escape despite she knew that had already lost the opportunity to leave. I pushed her to the floor and then pinned her wrists. For my surprise, I was face to face with Blake Belladonna, the beautiful faunus of golden eyes and black mane. She kept struggling but stared into my eyes, as surprised as me.

"Let me leave. Please." She asked, playing the role of an obedient student. "Please." Repeated.

"The only place you are going is to the Chief Nun's office." I sentenced, made her get up and dragged her along with me to inside the building.

"No, please. Don't do this!" She kept begging, almost crying. "She will punish me!" Complained.

"Every action has a consequence." I replied, holding her tight as she was still squirming.

I knocked at the door of the office. The Chief nun opened it and when saw that I was holding Blake, rolled her eyes. She made us pass and locked the door. I noticed Blake trembling, her cat ears folded down. Her contact was overwhelming, I let her go as the exit was blocked and she seemed to hide behind me, grabbing my coat and watching the nun as she searched something on the archive.

The nun opened Blake's expedient and read it after putting on her glasses.

"Ms. Belladonna, this is the nineteenth time you try to escape." She said and then grabbed a paddle from a drawer. "You are going to take your punishment for that."

Blake ran to the door and tried to force the lock but I caught her and brought her before the table of the office. The nun ordered me to hold her firmly as she grabbed the paddle and lifted her dress, showing that the faunus girl had marks of a whip from other punishments on her back.

The chief nun lifted the paddle and started spanking her hard, turning her skin red. Belladonna screamed with each hit and grabbed my hands, nailing her nails and trying to make me let her go and escape. As much as I wished that the punishment stopped, she had to take it. If I knew that bringing her to the office after catching her trying to escape would have these consequences, I would have let her go.

"Stop!" Begged the car faunus, her buttocks turning purple. "Help me, please!" Yelled desperately at me.

The nun didn't mind her and kept hitting her skin. Despite being old, the woman was strong and Blake flinched each time she hit her with the wood. Eventually, the nun got tired and lent the paddle to me to continue. Blake fell to the floor, crying in pain, legs shaking weakly. The old woman rested for a while, watching how Blake was weeping, curled on a corner.

"Don't stop until she apologizes. I warn you that it will take long." She ordered heavily breathing.

She left the office to go to sleep, tired for the strength she used on the cat faunus. As soon as we heard the door closing, Blake tried to run away from me, but fell to the floor, prey of the fatigue. She stared at me, cat ears folded, crystallized eyes begging for compassion and mercy. My hands were trembling while holding the paddle.

"Apologise, Blake. It's only a few words." I said, calling her for the first time by her name. "Is that so difficult? Just say it." I tried to convince her.

"No! I'm not going to apologize for something I didn't do wrong!" She complained with fury on her sweet voice.

I walked towards her, she embraced her own legs tighter, defensive. Then I kneeled and I caressed her hair, showing her that I wouldn't like to hurt her.

"Where did you want to go?" I asked curiously. "Tell me and I will let you go."

"That doesn't matter to you!" She yelled at me.

I threw the paddle on the floor, unwilling to use violence to calm the student down. I made her get up and face me, pushing her to the edge of the table that was nailing on her back.

"I'm just trying to help you." I said.

"You wouldn't understand." She answered, lowering her sight to the floor.

"Try it." I insisted, pushed by the curiosity.

Blake calmed down, now being more sad than angry. She tried to face me, but she was too shy to hold the glance. The humiliation had vanished the bit of self-esteem left on her.

"I just want to see my parents…" She sighed.

I knew that the families of the students interned could visit them on weekends and even go out of the school if the signed a document. What she was saying had no sense for me.

"But they can visit you on weekends, it's not worth it."

I tried to cheer her up but that sentence made her feel worse than already was. Her eyes burned in a storm of confusing feelings. I was amazed for her spirit. Tears ran down her cheeks as she showed me her teeth, she was angry and even I got frightened by a seventeen-year-old student.

"They can't because they died!" She yelled and pushed me away.

I took a step backward because she was out of control. The previous humiliation, pain, sadness, and anger overtook her and I know I had to do something to comfort her. I tried to reach for her arm, but she got away mumbling a 'leave me alone' and disappeared from the office. When I got out on the hallway I could see that she entered on the last dorm of the long corridor.

* * *

More days passed by, the job was as calm as always. Blake didn't try to escape yet and the truth was that I hadn't seen her since that night I had to spank her. She had been avoiding me, sneaking through the hallways and refusing to be with somebody. Without her, the watches were boring, not because she broke the rules but I enjoyed the sight.

The weekend came and every student on the boarding school left, spending the free days with their families or friends outside. Every student could leave with the only condition that an adult, a tutor or a familiar had to sign a petition to take a certain student out. Those days we barely had job as guards.

"Is everybody out of the school? I've just seen nuns since yesterday." I commented to another of the guards.

"No, there is Blake Belladonna left here. So we must guard the entrance before she tries to escape again. She is such a rebel girl despite having perfect grades…" Explained my workmate.

I made a list of places where she could be. I wasn't allowed to enter on her dorm so I couldn't go there. I searched her in the music classroom, the courtyard, the dining room, the small church, the teacher's room, the locker room… There were no traces of her and I started to worry about that she did escape. She would get another severe punishment if she did but I couldn't blame her for wanting to go with her parents. The nuns told that pray was enough but the cat faunus had the right to go visit their graves on the cemetery.

Finally, I spotted her in the library. As soon as she saw me entering the room, she got up from the place where was reading and hid behind one of the shelves, probably planning to get out of there. I could only hear the sound of the old clock ticking, she was stealthy and quiet but I didn't give up. I walked to the shelves and watched each one but it was easy for her to hide between the rows. For the corner of my eye, I caught her running away, moving to the door to get out and wanting to go hide on her room but I was fast enough to grab her before she could open the door.

It was the perfect time to talk, we were alone and I had caught her between me and a bookshelf so she wouldn't run away.

"What do you want?!" She asked, probably frightened that she had to endure another painful punishment. "Let go of me!"

I covered her mouth as she raised her voice. The building was quiet, she could attract someone else and if it was a nun they would fire me.

"Don't scream." I ordered.

I retired the hand from her rose lips, staring at them for a moment. Blake turned her face and crossed her legs, getting the wrong idea from what I wanted. This made me wonder if any of the guards abused some of the girls since they were always reserved and didn't approach us.

"Stop following me everywhere I go! You scare me!" She said ignoring my last order.

It was true, I was stronger, taller and older. If I looked at her she seemed little, weak and helpless, a defenseless and abandoned teenager. She stared at me with a sad expression, she was really uncomfortable with this situation.

"It wasn't my intention. I want to be your friend." Was the only clear thing I could say to make her see that I wasn't against her.

Blake obviously didn't trust me. She thought I was allied with the Chief nun or that it was all a plan to dominate her and achieve what I wanted from her.

"I don't want to be your friend. Just let me leave."

She managed to escape, bending to run away, passing down my arms that were trapping her. I didn't follow her because if I found one of the nuns they would suspect that something wasn't right and Blake would pay the consequences.

Later I managed a plan, I had something that she wanted from me and couldn't ask anyone else. She was like a frightened squirrel and I needed to do something for her to trust me. I couldn't stop thinking about her, if she wasn't around everything was grey and boring I loved to see her peacefully reading in the garden.

In the evening, while I knew she was having dinner in the cafeteria, I entered at her room and waited there for her. I was putting my job at risk because if someone caught me there they would fire me. After a few minutes, I heard her steps in the hallway, I hid behind the door of her dorm so when she entered wouldn't spot me. As soon as she got into her room, I locked the door behind her so we were trapped inside. Blake screamed frightened and tried to throw a vase with flowers at me, but she aimed wrong and didn't hit me, it fell on the mattress. Her eyes were open in fear and her chest was going up and down quickly.

"Belladonna, I want to offer you a deal." I started, sitting on one of the chairs so she could see that I wouldn't invade her space. "I can take you out the next weekend to the cemetery and even visit the city later if you like. I know you have been locked in this school for so long…"

"What do you want in exchange?" Blake narrowed her eyes at me.

"Nothing." I replied.

"You lie. The nuns say that men just want one thing from us." Said Blake embracing herself.

"Since when the nuns are your friends? Trust me, Blake. I just want to see you smile again."

I convinced her, immediately she was more relaxed and changed her defensive position. She sat on one of the chairs in front of a table and a mirror. I noticed she flinched of pain while sitting. She lit a candle and afterward untied her hair to brush it. It was relaxing seeing her so calmed and doing something so simple as brush her mane. I noticed she was occasionally glancing at me in the mirror.

"I don't understand." She said.

"You don't need to. Good night, Blake." I said getting up from my seat and leaving the room.

"Sleep well." She replied back before I closed the door.

I would do as much as I can to make the next weekend a good experience for her and see her smiling.

* * *

The chief nun stared at me while signing the petition to take Blake out of the boarding school for the weekend. She didn't trust me either but I had been thinking a good excuse during all week to take Blake out of that grey building.

"It's the best way to solve the problem. If I take her to the cemetery she won't escape anymore." I explained to her.

She nodded and read the document, then signed it herself and allowed me to take the cat faunus with me for a few hours. I thanked her and I assured that I was only doing that to make my job easier both I knew that was a lie. Blake was more than my job. When I got out of the office, Belladonna was already waiting for me. She was wearing a white wool sweater and black pants. She was using a brown blanket from her room as a coat and seemed excited to go outside.

"Did she agree?" She asked impatiently.

"Yes, let's go."

Blake followed me all the way out of the school. I showed the document signed to the guards on the door and they allowed us to leave the building. Outside, the wind was blowing and I noticed Blake shivering and folding her cat ears down. Luckily I had my car parked near the entrance, on a small shelter made for the cars of the teachers and staff of the school. The student was surprised when saw my red car. I opened the copilot door for her and she immediately entered inside to shelter herself from the frozen ambiance. When we were both in the car I turned on the heating and I lend her my coat.

"I'm alright with the blanket." She said.

"It's more a dirty old rag than a blanket. Take my coat instead." I insisted, knowing that on the trunk I had another that I could use later.

She accepted and put it, buttoning it and embracing herself, feeling the warmth of it and discreetly smelling my cologne impregnated on the cloth. Then I noticed she had also brought a small bouquet of flowers that she had stolen from the small chapel on the school. I smirked and she glanced at me, pretending annoyance.

We spent the trip to the cemetery in silence. Luckily down the mountain the cold wasn't as severe as in the school but the snow still remained on the path. I felt like I had been locked away from the city and the world in general for too long since I had started working as a guard. Silently I started planning what we could do after visiting Blake's parents grave.

"Thank you, Adam." Suddenly said blushing slightly. "For everything."

"Don't worry, Blake."

After a few seconds of awkward silence, she spoke again. She was making an effort to be friendly and a nice company.

"Are you doing this because you feel bad after what happened that night I tried to escape?" She asked, avoiding to mention the painful punishment.

I still hadn't thought of a reason of why should I be helping her and spending my free hours with a student. I couldn't tell what I felt for her yet because she was easily frightened of new things since she had been all her life locked in the religious boarding school. Luckily, her question gave me a good reason of why should I help her.

"Yes." I lied. "You know I didn't want her to hurt you, right? I was just following orders."

Belladonna seemed to remember that as soon as the chief noon left I didn't follow her orders and didn't hit her with the paddle, instead, I tried to talk to her. She glanced at me and nodded.

Since the two of us had been speaking, the silence now was awkward so I tried to give her some conversation.

"Why didn't you bring a coat?" I asked her.

"The only that I have doesn't fit me anymore. I only have access to new clothes if a familiar brings them or if I go out but it's been a while since one of this two scenarios happened." She admitted. "My aunt had interned me to the boarding school because she disliked children and didn't want to take care of me when my parents died. She hadn't visited me since… last year or even more. Every day is the same that the one before in the boarding school."

Her explanation made me figure the rest of everything out. I felt compassion and pity for her since she was very young to experience such kind of loneliness and sadness.

We arrived soon at the cemetery. I grabbed the other coat I had, the one with a rose motif on the back that I couldn't use as a guard and I only wore out of the school. Blake entered the graveyard without waiting for me but I managed to follow her. She knew the way and I realized that she had been there more than once. I couldn't believe she sometimes had success in escaping and made all the way down the cemetery alone at night with the cold and then returned up the mountain. She was stronger than her physics made her look.

She stopped walking and kneeled before a grave that had the names of his parents.

Forever in our hearts: Kali and Ghira Belladonna.

Blake retired the snow from the grave and cleaned it with a cloth tissue. Then tied the flowers to the grave and placed her hand on the stone. Her shoulders dropped and lowered her head. I could guess she was crying but she muffled every sound for me to not notice it. I placed my hand on her shoulder and said:

"I'm going to leave a little time to yourself, alright?"

She nodded without lifting her head, her hair covering her face, refusing to show her tears. When she heard my steps on the snow going far, I saw her embracing the gravestone and crying out loud, but the wind was all I could hear. I took a long walk through the cemetery, I even returned to the car to grab Blake's blanket and smoked a cigarette but I couldn't even finish it because the storm got worse. The wind was more aggressive and the snow fell faster, covering my car's roof. I went to search Blake back to the grave, she hadn't moved since I last saw her but was trembling due the cold. It had been half an hour since she had been sitting on the snow and embracing the stone. It was a heartbreaking sight.

I wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and rubbed her arms to stop the trembling.

"Let's go, it's too cold to stay here much longer. We will return next weekend if you want."

Belladonna nodded and left the grave, getting up and walking back to the car. I didn't lose contact with her, I had my arm still wrapped around her shoulder and we were walking almost stuck to each other. She refused to look at me even when we entered the car. I waited for her to feel better before starting the car and moving to our next destination. Slowly, the tremble on her body disappeared and she cleaned her face with a tissue. Then laid down the seat of the car and closed her eyes to stop crying.

"I can't stand to see you this upset." I said.

"Then don't look and leave me alone." Replied the cat faunus hurt.

"I don't care if you need to stay up crying all day long, I will stay with you." I corrected.

Blake stared at me, more tears sliding down her golden jewels. I opened my arms to her and she didn't hesitate on hugging me. I kept her safe and warm, blowing hot air on her to banish the cold and rubbing my arms with her body. She cried for a while, sobbing silently, feeling her chest go up and down with each weep. We stayed inside the car until the storm ceased and the clouds disappeared from the sky. Only then Belladonna stopped crying and got separated from me. Despite all, I kept holding her and kissed her forehead gently.

"Would a warm drink make you feel better?" I asked and she nodded at me, smiling slightly. "I know the best place to go, just leave it in my hands."

* * *

We went downtown to a welcoming cafeteria with a fireplace and sofas. I chose to go to the one that had the ambiance more similar to a real house so Blake could be more comfortable with me. She ordered a hot chocolate with cream instead of a tea, the best remedy for when someone is sad. I ordered the same but without the cream despite not being fan of chocolate, but the cold weather made me want one. The cat faunus moved slightly on the sofa, coming closer to me.

"Why did you choose to work as a guard on our school?" She asked me, finally having some interest.

"I didn't choose it. It was the more comfortable best-paid job I had on my list."

"You did it for the money?"

"In a part yes. I'm saving some money. Living in the school is an advantage, I don't have to pay for a rent and the salary is enough for me. I don't have extra wastes and I don't need to worry about food because the nuns cook for us too."

Blake was satisfied with my answer. The waitress brought us the hot chocolates and I observed Blake enjoying her warm drink, getting rid of the previous cold. A small trace of cream was left on her upper lip as she swallowed the chocolate. I took off my gloves and approached my hand to her face. Blake froze as I retired the cream from her mouth with my finger. Then I tried to put it in her nose, but she introduced my finger in her mouth, her tongue licking the cream off. I felt my cheeks burn as she opened her mouth so I could retire the finger. After a moment I noticed that she was also blushed. To relieve the tension I giggled and she joined me, the two of us awkwardly blushed and laughing.

"Adam, have you thought of a perfect future?" Asked Blake after laughing. "Like some sort of plan you hope to achieve."

"Yes. I want to buy a house and have a home."

"I want to have a home too. In two months I will turn into eighteen and I will be free to leave the boarding school without my aunt's consent. Then I will run from everything and I will start a new life."

She drank more chocolate. I found it logical, she said her aunt disliked children and she had rejected her in the past despite being an orphan and needed love and care. She had interned her in the boarding school at least paying a good quantity of money to educate her but she didn't even care to visit her often.

"You don't need to leave everybody behind. Some allies might help in the world outside the boarding school." I said for her to take a hint about a possible 'us' in the future.

"You are right." She replied smiling at me.

I finished my cup of hot chocolate and I got up to pay on the bar. I had enough cash to have extra wastes, that wouldn't affect my wallet in any way. I paid with enough lien and the waitress returned me the change with coins. I left them in my wallet and when I turned I found that my seat on the sofa beside Blake had been taken by a monkey faunus.

"My name's Sun. How are you called, beauty?" He flirted.

Blake moved backward on the sofa as the blonde faunus tried to come closer to her. I appeared in the scenario, putting my hand on Blake's shoulder. Both of them got up from the sofa.

"She is already taken." I said while putting one arm around her waist and pulling her close to my body. "I'm sorry, dude."

We stretched hands peacefully.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Enjoy your evening pals."

The monkey faunus left us alone, sitting on a table with a blue-haired boy. We got out of the cafeteria and walked for the beautiful winter streets of the city. I noticed that I didn't retire my arm around Blake's waist since the boy tried to flirt with her, so I let her space while walking. Nevertheless, a few moments after, I felt Blake cold hand grabbing mine shyly. I held her tight and keep walking, looking at the beautiful lights as the sun was starting to descend, leaving a place to the night, moon and darkness.

"Do you think I'm pretty, Adam?" Suddenly asked the cat faunus.

I stopped walking and I faced her. She was flustered and looked at me with bright eyes.

"You are not pretty, Blake." I sentenced. "You are more than that, you are beautiful but…"

"But?" She asked back.

"You would look more beautiful with clothes that are your size." I said referring to the white sweater that was supposed to be big but on her, it was tightened to her body. "So you are going to pick a shop and I'll buy you the clothes you need."

"But Adam that's too much-...!" Tried to complain Blake.

"You need clothes apart from your school uniform, Blake." I insisted. "Trust me."

* * *

Blake picked some clothes she thought that were her style. I helped her and cheered her to grab a lot of things to try on and later she would choose which one she preferred. I waited outside of the changing room but I stayed near her just in case another flirty guy appeared. Thanks to my faunus hearing I could hear Blake asking the shop assistants opinion whose answer had been:

"Let's call your boyfriend so he can see you."

A few seconds later the same woman who said that appeared and called me to go help my 'girlfriend'. She didn't look like the same person. She had chosen a simple wool purple sweater, heel boots, and black pants. My jaw dropped seeing how the new clothes fit her perfectly, making her look comfortable but attractive at the same time.

"We'll take that as a yes." Said the shop assistant to Blake.

I bought her the clothes, not worrying about the cash. Her happiness and smile were all I cared about. She was feeling guilty but I didn't stop telling her that I was doing that because I wanted to and that it was no big deal until I convinced her.

"Then can I ask you one more thing?" She said shyly. I nodded. "Can we go to the library? I'm tired of reading about Jesus."

I laughed at her last sentence. She didn't know the city so I brought her to the library, a giant building on the center of the city. She was amazed, her eyes had shiny sparks, it was obvious that she had been locked on the school for years. Blake didn't know where to look with all the bookshelves and floors of the library.

"Where shall we start looking?" I asked her.

"On the romance section." She sentenced.

We moved to the upper floor where there were hundreds of bookshelves with romance novels. Blake started picking some and I held them for her as she searched for more to read. I would lend her my library card and we would return the books next week. Since she had a lot of free time on the boarding school after classes and attending the obligatory mass, the pile of books that she would borrow grew and grew.

"You love these stories, don't you?" I teased her, leaving the pile of books on a table.

"I do." She said while reading more titles and summaries of the novels. "Love stories are just wonderful."

"Why don't you start your own one? You may have a potential love in front of your eyes."

She faced me, confused, her eyebrows lifted slightly. Discreetly I got closer, making a step forward.

"What do you mea-...?!"

I didn't let her spoke as I placed my lips on her, embracing her waist and tangling my fingers in her hair. She was shocked and didn't move nor reject the kiss, just stood and felt my gentle but passionate kiss. I let her go, giving her a chance to react. She placed her finger on her lips, blushed and surprised. I felt myself burning and I felt the urge to go outside and have some fresh air, but I couldn't leave her alone that way.

Blake turned and grabbed the books on the table, not allowing me to see her facial expression. She didn't say anything and we acted as if nothing happened between us. When we got out from the library the sky was already dark and it was time to return to the boarding school. I left the books and the clothes on the trunk and we entered the car, making our way up the mountain.

The cat faunus spent the trip looking the frozen landscape through the window, seeing how the city was smaller and smaller while going to the boarding school. She didn't speak and neither did I, focusing on the road and thinking that I had ruined everything I gained with Blake that day. She had been slowly opening to me and I thought that kissing her was a good idea, but maybe she got the wrong intentions. Despite all, the nuns always said to the girls that men make them sin and that we only want one thing from them, they have to preserve their virtue… and all sorts of things. Blake hadn't been exposed to other mentalities, only a religious one, so I realized that I had been too daring. After all, we just spent one day together and we didn't know each other that well to start a romantic relationship.

Maybe she found me too old for her, I was nine years older and it was a big difference. Or maybe she just didn't find me handsome or attractive. I couldn't force her heart that way, the best thing I could do was give her space.

Finally, we were back at the boarding school. I parked in the parking with a roof as a shelter for the cars of the staff of the school. I got out from the car and opened the trunk to grab everything that Blake needed. Belladonna got out from the car and touched my arm.

"Wait. I don't want to go in there yet. We have an hour left." She said.

I closed the trunk leaving the things inside and I let her lead me to the car, to the rear seats that were more comfortable. She stared at me for a long time and I held the glance. I didn't notice regret or anger in her eyes but confusion. After a while observing me, she spoke:

"Teach me how to kiss." She asked me.

I hesitated but then she put her hand on my chest and made me lay down the seat. She sat on top of me and leaned down near to my mouth. She stared at my lips and then at my eyes.

"With or without tongue?" I asked, my hands trembling.

"Both. We have plenty of time to explore."

Before I could teach her anything our lips met. She licked mine with her tongue and I opened my mouth to let her explore it. She put my hands on her waist and made me caress them, later I sneaked under her shirt to slowly rub her back. She kissed me passionately, hungry and thirsty. We both wanted more. She bit my lip accidentally and I laughed at her, she blushed. The round of kisses lasted for a long time, each of them better than the last one. We had been on a loop for a while but finally managed to control the addiction and rest.

Blake laid down on my chest and I embraced her, feeling her breath on my neck.

"I want to start my own romance story with you." She confessed and then leaned into my ear. "I know we'll get in trouble for it if they find us, but…please come to my dorm tonight." She whispered.

I was being tempted by the forbidden fruit of passion, the sweetest of them all.

* * *

Sneaking through the darkest corner of the school, I managed to open the door that led to the hallway with the rooms of the students. It was late so nobody was awake and there were no lights on, thanks to my faunus nocturne sight I could see well. I went unspotted, I told my coworkers I was going to make a walk around the school and that would take a while so I could spend plenty of time with Blake.

I had been thinking all afternoon about her and the petition to come to her room that night. I knew she didn't want just cuddles, as all teenagers her age she was curious about relationships, all the nuns forbid, and she could not do there. I wasn't sure if she was just using me but it was worth the doubt. Her world was too sad to be alone, she needed someone to be there for her and help her start a new life when her eighteen birthday arrived. That morning with her had been intense and I couldn't wait to spend more time with her. We had to be careful because too much time together would make us suspicious. Luckily, now at night nobody was around, just us, the security guards.

I approached the last room in the hallway and carefully opened it with the set of keys I had. I tried to not make a lot of noise and silently entered the room, closing the door behind me. As soon as I locked the door again, I heard Blake jumping out of the bed. Suddenly she wrapped her arms around me and I felt her lips on my shoulders.

"I thought you wouldn't come." She confessed.

"I didn't want to be suspicious so I had to wait until the nuns finished their nocturne prays." I explained to her, turning around to see her.

She was half dressed in her white old nightgown and her hair was a little messy. Her eyes shone in the dark and her lips were mid-open, waiting for a kiss. She got on her tiptoes and asked me for a kiss that I couldn't deny. As our mouths clashed I lifted her up and made her tangle her legs around my waist. We couldn't stop touching and kissing each other until we ran out of breath and needed to rest. Her skin was too soft and the idea of me being the first touching her made everything more exciting. The sin was sweeter than I thought.

Blake stood on the floor once more and got separated from me to turn on the small lamp on her bedside table. I took off my jacket and left the keys along on the table to be more comfortable. Then I noticed that Blake didn't turn around and just stood staring at the lamp while breathing heavily.

"Blake?" I called.

She snapped out of it as I walked towards her. Carefully I caressed her arm with my fingertips. She shivered.

"I'm just a little nervous…" She whispered. "You know I've never been with a man before."

"Don't push yourself, love." She faced me. "We won't go further if you don't want."

"But I want to." She said. "I want to know how it feels to love and be loved."

My heart was beating too fast and I could tell that hers too. It was the adrenaline and the intensity of the moment that made us tremble with a simple caress. Thanks to the light I could see what she was wearing under the white nightgown: nothing.

"I desire you, Blake. I won't deny you but tell me what you want to do tonight."

Blake's breath shivered as she stared right into my red eyes. Her cat ears perked and softly blushed while searching for the appropriate words.

"I want to explore more. Much more than the kisses in the car."

She said that in a shy way that melted my heart. It was time to get into serious business.

"Are you sure abou-...?!" I couldn't finish because she had just started to rub her knee against my pants.

Our faunus instincts made us mate different as the humans. Once the stimulation started it was impossible to stop the passion and both of us in the car started it and now we were going to finish.

I pushed Blake to the table so now the friction was between her back and my center. Softly, I placed her black raven hair aside to have better access to her skin. My fingers ran down her chest and found the buttons of the nightgown. I untied them as the cat faunus moaned and leaned closer. Finally, I could sneak inside and I touched her breast softly, in circles stimulating her rose perky nipple. Belladonna enjoyed my touches too much and started getting noisy but I couldn't tell her to stop moaning as it was gratifying. My other hand ran down to her hips and touched her pubis, carefully moving my hand up and down. When I slipped my fingers between her lower lips I could feel that she was moist.

"Have you ever touched yourself?" I asked, curious and wanting to know the most intimate secrets. "How do you control your faunus hormones in spring?"

"Ah-h… I do touch myself." She confessed moaning. "I'm so alone that it is the only thing I can do at nights."

That was the dirtiest thing she could have ever said to turn me on much more. I stopped moving my hand up and down her womanhood and instead I put it on her waist to make the friction between her and me more intense.

"You need a mate so bad…" I moaned. "You little sinner."

Blake giggled and turned, sitting on the table and pulling me close, trapping my waist with her legs once more. She ended taking off her nightgown and laid down the table so I had complete access to her body. Her breasts were a generous size and the rose nipples were perky for the excitation. Her curves were sensual and her legs were the way up to heaven.

"Touch me, Adam." She moaned.

Before I started, I took my shirt off and threw it along with the nightgown. Then leaned down and captured my lips the other rose button. I played with it with my tongue, swirling it and sucking to make her feel good. Blake placed her hands on my naked back and scratched softly up and down, breathing deeply and trembling. My other hand started unbuckling my belt.

Belladonna heard the pleasing sound of the metal and leather belt freeing my pants and unconsciously parted her legs, giving me some access to join her body. I rubbed her inner thigh to warm her up.

"Not yet, my darling." I teased her.

Blake didn't complain but pulled my head down so our lips could meet once more to share a long and passionate kiss. From her lips, I descended to her jaw and from the jaw to her neck, a sensitive spot that she seemed to enjoy the caresses.

"Don't leave a mark there. Somebody could see it." She begged.

I chuckled and descended down to her parted legs. I didn't want to put her in some trouble with the nuns and I couldn't lose this job, not while Blake was still on the boarding school.

"Can I leave a mark here, then?" I asked.

"Y-yes!" She moaned as I sucked her thighs and slowly moved to her center. "Ad-...am…"

I got lost between her legs as she shivered and moaned my name countless times. She caressed my hair and horns as I licked her most sensitive part of the body. She was enjoying it too much and due to the trembling on her thighs I could tell she was at the edge of the pleasure. Her sweet sounds were pleasant to my ears.

"You are going to make me finish…" She moaned. "I want you first…"

I obeyed to her wishes. I licked her juices on the corners of my mouth as she sat on the table and blushed, watching how wet she was for me.

"Don't be ashamed, Blake." I chuckled.

And without previous warning I slipped two fingers inside of her. She gasped in surprise but didn't flinch for the pain, only for the pleasure. I tangled my free arm around her and pulled her towards me. She embraced my back and kept breathing on my neck.

She shivered and moaned near my ear as I stimulated her insides, hearing the sound of her wetness and tightness. Her scent was intoxicating and I wanted to please her more and more, desiring the moment when I could finally thrust myself inside of her.

"O-oh Adam…" She moaned. "P-please…"

"Please what?"

"I don't want it to end."

It was hard for her to deny to her pleasure to make the moment last longer but it was harder for me to obey to her wishes. I wanted to show her what I could do to a female faunus.

"Enjoy yourself, love." I said, not giving her a break.

I felt her insides tightening around my fingers as I slipped a third digit inside. She nailed her nails on my neck and bit my shoulder as the first symptoms of the upcoming orgasm hit her. She left a bitemark on my shoulder and several scratches on my back as she sighed after the intense sensation.

"Adam…" She moaned my name and I felt my heat warm up again and along with it, consuming Blake too, who immediately recovered and asked for more.

And so, we would spend the whole night on her bedroom, making love under the bedsheets, trying to be silent.

* * *

Blake and I were maintaining our relationship as a secret. First of all because she was still a minor and I wasn't supposed to interact romantically with the students of the boarding school. Almost every night I sneaked into her room, spent the night with her and returned to my watch in the morning. On weekends we went to the city: to the cinema, the library, a coffee shop… She was happy and I was elated, completely in love with the faunus student.

That day I was guarding the chapel on the school. The students were attending at the mass with the nuns. Blake was sitting on one of the benches, occasionally glancing at me.

"Who wants to read their text today?" Asked the chief nun to the students.

Every day they attended the chapel and optatively the students could write some prayers, petitions or even songs to the god. Weiss Schnee lifted her hand, wanting some extra points for her grades, being the perfect student and smartest girl in class. Blake had told me that she hated her for being a faunus and for having better grades than her. Schnee walked to the podium and cleared her throat.

"I can't stop thinking of his hands touching me, making me shiver and moan in pleasure. Adam is the perfect gentleman, he knows exactly what to do to make me feel great. His kisses are addictive and I can just hold on him when our bodies become one, burning in forbidden passion…" Weiss read.

I glanced at Blake, hearing my name made my heart skip. I was breathless and she was terrified when saw Schnee showing her diary open to everyone. She immediately ran to the podium I was shocked, trying to figure out how to react.

"Schnee, what's this?!" Asked the nun clearly angry.

"It's Ms. Belladonna's journal. I found it quite poetic, really worth to share it with everyone in the chapel." Smiled Weiss.

"Give it to me!" Said Blake, stealing it from her hands, but it was too late.

I walked to the cat faunus and I grabbed her diary. I opened it and read the pages where she wrote about me. I had picked up the best option I had, deny everything and imitate the personnel of the school, treat the cat faunus as a filthy person.

"Adam kissed me and left me vulnerable. I was at his mercy and I couldn't deny him." I read for everyone. "How can you possibly think of me that way?! You are disgusting. You should be locked up!" I yelled at her, lifting my hand, pretending as if I was going to slap her.

The nun stopped my hand as I expected. Blake fell to her knees and started crying, not acting, every emotion being real because they were humiliating her. That image of her broke my heart. I couldn't believe how much Schnee hated her. Jealousy, envy, and hate were the worst combination of all. I just could think about comforting her later.

"The seed of the devil is on her." Said the nun. "You are right Mr. Taurus, she should be locked. We will keep her on the 'dark room' until this peccaminous thoughts disappear from her mind."

The chief nun made Blake lift her chin and look at her classmates, humiliating her. The students were petrified at the mere mention of the 'dark room'. Everyone was silent.

"Don't worry, Ms. Belladonna. We'll pray for you every day and we will burn this diary to forget your sins." She said and ordered the other nun to show me the way to bring the cat faunus to the dark room.

I grabbed Blake by the back of her neck and I dragged her through the corridors while following the nun. I have heard that the darkroom was one of the worst punishments on the school, being a person left in an old and dirty basement totally alone in the dark several days locked, only provided the necessary food to survive.

"No! Not the darkroom!" Was yelling Blake in tears. "Anything but that!"

She cried and struggled all the way there. We descended to the last floor of the school, a place I had never been. The nun opened an old door at the end of the hallway. I could see stairs that led to a dark basement. It smelled horrible as if someone died down there.

"Drop her inside." Ordered the nun.

I could do it but Blake would end terribly hurt. She would roll down the stairs and that could even kill her. I made her kneel instead and I kicked her back to make her enter, avoiding the damage. The nun didn't complain and locked the door, leaving the cat faunus inside. Then we heard her kicking the door, crying desperately, begging to get her out of there. It was heartbreaking. How could those women that claimed to follow the path of the good be so cruel to a young girl?

"The weekend permissions are over. Nobody is allowed to see her." Sentenced the nun and left, returning to the chapel.

Blake's hits on the door stopped as we were left alone. I put my hand and forehead on the door, the only obstacle between us. Luckily, nobody except the nuns went down there and at that moment all were in the chapel so the hallway was empty and we could talk.

"I'm so sorry, my love." I apologized, my heart hurting too much.

"You have to get me out of here! You have no idea what they will do to me! Adam, please, take me out of here!" She cried desperately. "They will do to me the same that did with Amitola!"

Blake was a calmed person and seeing her that agitated was unusual. It must have been something serious. The punishments on the religious school were severe and there was nothing I couldn't imagine.

"What did they do to her?" I asked concerned.

She couldn't answer me because the chief nun came, angry and serious. It was my turn to pay the consequences of that cruel girl stealing Blake's diary.

"Mr. Taurus, come to my office now." She ordered.

"The nun told me to guard this door." I lied, refusing to leave Blake locked inside.

"That's not necessary, Ms. Belladonna needs solitude to erase her sins."

I left her alone down in the basement. I heard her weeping but I followed the nun, trying to ignore her cries. Having to treat her so badly, hiding our love, obeying such rules was hard for me. I couldn't imagine being locked in a dark, cold, disgusting basement several days. I had to start thinking of something to do to distract Blake from the horrible experience. I was still concerned about what she had been trying to tell me about Amitola's punishment.

The chief nun and I entered the office. She had Blake's diary on her hands. I sat on the chair in front of her, she gave me the diary open.

"Read this page, Mr. Taurus." She ordered.

"We make love every night. He joins me and kisses each inch of my body. My legs start trembling and all I feel is him, his name in my mouth being a sacred word: Adam..."

I couldn't continue reading aloud because the next paragraph said: _He is perfect, the only thing I care about. Nobody else ever made me feel this way, romantically and physically. I feel like we are bounded by destiny. It may be crazy but I would love to be his wife and stay beside him forever._

Did she really love me to the point to marry me? I started sweating and I decided that as soon as Blake got out from that room I'd give her my mother's engagement ring. But for now, I had to focus on lying to the nun and convincing that I didn't touch Blake and that she was just really imaginative.

"This isn't true, chief nun." I lied.

"If I find some evidence that you are lying I will fire you and Belladonna will pay the consequences." She warned me and told me to leave the office.

I went outside the courtyard, watching the students that just got out from the chapel. Everybody was talking about Blake, snickering at me, dangerous rumors being extended around the boarding school. Everything was getting out of control and Blake was locked in the dark room thanks to the most racist person of the school. She was with her group of friends, where Amitola was sitting eating a sandwich with them. She caught me staring at her and whispered something to the others. The group of racists returned inside of the building, suspicious. I stayed out in the courtyard for a while, letting the cold air wash away the stress and worry for Blake. Even the other guards didn't dare to come and talk to me because they saw how unstable I was.

I needed to get to Blake again but without being spotted. I entered the building and went downstairs to the last floor where only the nuns had access apparently. I spied for a while to see if someone was watching the door of the darkroom and for my surprise, I found Schnee, Amitola and their group of friends kicking at the door and yelling racist insults:

"Rot down there!" Yelled Schnee kicking the door.

"Filthy animal!" Said another student while the others snickered.

This school was strict just for some cases, because insulting a person for her species was just denigrating. I decided to act and stop the bullying, walking towards the students. Amitola noticed me and warned the others to run. Schnee and her friends could escape but I managed to catch Ilia Amitola. I noticed some spots on her face turning red as she struggled to let go. Until then I hadn't smelled her essence and I realized that Blake wasn't the only student of different species:

"You are a faunus!" I said surprised "Why were you being racist to a fellow faunus? Why do you hide who you are?"

The chameleon faunus tried to leave but I was stronger than her. As much as she tried, she couldn't escape.

"I don't know what else to do! I just want to be like the other students!" She yelled.

"Why did they lock you in the darkroom? What did they do to you?" I asked her.

Amitola's eyes turned blue. I let her go and she stared at the darkroom door, frightened.

"I was caught having sex with another student. The chief nun locked me down there and sewed me…" Amitola explained, her eyes now became burning red in anger. "I spent a week until I healed but every day she would punish me, calling me dirty, sinner, devil…"

This boarding school was something similar to hell. They used violence against the students, sewed them to preserve their virginities… I was going to take Blake out of there immediately, I didn't care if she was still a minor and her aunt had her custody.

"Listen, do you want another female faunus to experience the same?" Ilia shook her head. "Then help me and we will help you escape from here too. Deal?"

The chameleon faunus was surprised but nodded. Obviously Ilia wasn't happy there neither and wanted to live her life freely on the real world, not locked with nuns and praying to a god that none of them believed in. I didn't know her past but as she was a faunus both knew we could trust each other.

"The chief nun has keys on her office, she has some copies of the dark room. We need to hurry." She explained.

The sound of steps going downstairs alarmed us. Amitola grabbed my hand and we hid down the stairs. She used her chameleon traits to camouflage, her skin turning black. We saw how the chief nun went to the dark room. She was holding a needle, a thread and scissors. She opened the door of the dark room and opened the light on a secret switch outside on the hallway. Then entered and locked the door with her and Blake there.

"Let's go!" I said grabbing Amitola and going upstairs to the chief's nun office.

Once we were there, Amitola searched on the drawers for the documents that authorized the students to go outside. I searched on the pockets of the nun's jackets for a set of keys. I found one that had an old, rusted key and I figured out that it was the key to the door of the dark room.

"You go and find Blake, I'll fake the nun's signature so we can go out." Ordered Amitola.

The girl was smart, discreet and quick. She had skills of a spy. I ran downstairs once more and I heard Blake screaming. I opened the door and found that the nun was trying to cut the cat faunus' uniform. The chief nun hear the old door crackling and saw me. She laughed while holding Belladonna down, choking her so she was occupied trying to breath.

"Depraved demon! I knew you were evil, degenerated creature!" She yelled at me.

"Let go the girl!" I yelled.

"Never! I will suture her shut so disgusting men like you can never enjoy her!"

Taking advantage of the old woman's distraction, Belladonna punched her on the face and got up. She breathed heavily and ran upstairs with me, but the nun grabbed the scissors and nailed them on Blake's ankle. The cat faunus fell to the floor and shouted in pain as her blood stained the floor. I ran to help her get up. I made her hold onto me and helped her get up but the nun crawled and followed us.

Blake was trembling and bleeding. Once we got to the hallway, I left her aside as I searched the key to lock the door with the chief nun inside sl we could have some advantage to escape the boarding school.

"We are getting out of here, my love." I said while putting the key on the lock.

Unfortunately for us, the nun made her way upstairs and got out from the darkroom, pushing the door so Blake fell to the floor of the hallway. She tried to drag me inside, pulling me down with her. Despite being old, the woman was strong and big so it was a more difficult struggler than a teenager student.

Belladonna got up how she could and helped me, nailing her nails on the nun's arms. The religious woman let go of me and Blake kicked her on the stomach, making her fall downstairs. I knew she had killed the chief nun so I closed the door to avoid her to see the corpse. Blake's eyes were opened in fear as we heard the old woman's last scream.

"Shhhh… It's all over." I embraced her and checked her wounds.

She had the scissors still nailed on her leg. I couldn't bring her to the hospital because they would ask for our identification and would figure out what just happened. Luckily, I had a first aid kit on the car and I some knowledge on medicine. I kissed her cheek and carefully lifted her on my arms.

Suddenly, Amitola came downstairs with the autoritzations to go out of the boarding school.

"What happened?!" She asked seeing Blake bleeding.

"Too long to explain." We walked upstairs, going to the exit of the building. "We will tell that the guards on the entrance that Blake needs to go to a hospital and that you made this so you have an excuse to leave too."

Ilia shrugged and we moved to the entrance. None of us grabbed anything from the school. We would start living our days free from manipulative, rotten persons. Free, without pressure, making our own decisions.

* * *

We left Ilia on the crossroad that brought to the city. She refused to come with us and wanted to stay in the city with some friends of hers. Blake and I moved to a nearby village where we find a motel and hired a room for that night. I had enough money to buy a small house on some urbanization far from the big cities. Tomorrow we would visit some but for now, we stayed in the motel to rest and assimilate what happened. It was a rustic and welcoming place. The room was double, it had a bathroom, a double-sized bed, and a balcony.

Carefully, I was cleaning the wound on Blake's ankle. We were sitting on two chairs on the balcony, I had the first aid kit box on the table and the light outside was better to work. Belladonna cleaned her tears and relaxed while I bid up her ankle with a cloth. The pain was over, it was time to start a new stage on our lives.

"I'm cold, Adam." She said when I finished the cures. " Can we go to the bed and cuddle for a bit?"

"Of course, my darling."

I lifted her and brought her indoors, making her lay on the mattress of the bed. I closed the doors of the balcony and searched for a blanket on the closet. Then I laid beside her and covered her body with the blanket. She wrapped her arms around my waist as I pulled her close, trying not to hurt her ankle more than it was.

"Do you need some painkillers?" I whispered to her.

"All I need is you." She said snuggling into my neck.

She closed her eyes and rested, she deserved it. I couldn't imagine that she had been locked on the boarding school since she was a child. Soon she would be an adult, in two months exactly. We could stop running away and build our own life together.

I touched the little box on the pocket of my jacket. This was the perfect moment to do it.

"Blake, don't fall asleep. I have something to ask you." I said shaking slightly her shoulders.

Belladonna opened her amber eyes and meet my glance. I took the small velvet box from my pocket and I showed it to her.

"Adam?" She asked breathlessly. "What are you trying to-...?"

I opened the box for her. My mother's engagement ring was shining as much the cat faunus' eyes. She covered her open mouth as I surprised her. Probably it was the last thing she was expecting from me.

"Would you marry me, my darling?" I asked holding the ring with my fingers.

Belladonna blushed and smiled wide.

"Did you read that in my diary, right?" She asked.

"I did."

"Then, why do you ask me if you already know the answer?" She said putting her hand on mine. "Of course I want to marry you!"

I put the ring on Blake's finger and without previous advice she embraced me, leaving quick butterfly kisses all over my face. She made me lay as she kept kissing me, slowly each of them turning more passionate and less fast. We ended clashing our lips intensively, with each crush our desire growing.

"Let's make love, Adam." She said to me, unbuttoning my jacket.

I rolled over the mattress so I could be in charge and on top of her. I took off my jacket and shirt and leaned down to kiss her goddess body. She was my cult, praising her while exploring her feminine curves and kissing the most sensitives parts of her body. After a while, I joined her, the fire between us sealing our bodies together for the night. We were just a man and a woman who loved each other that made love until our bodies collapsed in a pleasant climax.

We would let out past whisk away and focus on our new future together.

* * *

Some nuns are crazy though! This was pretty long, I hope you all liked it!

The next drabble will be a smutty/kinky one so be ready because things will go wild!

Frozenheart7


	15. Blake loves her master

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Blake loves her master

 **Rating:** M (smut)

 **Summary:** (Master/Kitten kink)

 **A/N:** This drabble could be related to the "naughty kitten's punishment" but both of them can be read individually and are non-related directly. Expect a lot of smut and read under your own consequences.

 **Speciall thanks:** To all of you who are still reading each drabble of this collection. Thank you so much!

* * *

Adam was alone working at his office, doing paperwork and reading reports from the other White Fang branches. After a whole afternoon locked up inside, he received a visit. With only two shy knocks at the door he could already guess who was the visitor. He gave permission to the person to enter and Blake came in. He had guessed well.

She didn't say anything and approached him, searching for proximity and smelling his hypnotizing fragrance. Adam felt her arms embracing his back, caressing his chest up and down and he had to focus to not throw the paperwork in the trash and start kissing her. What a test for his control and instincts.

"Master…" She whispered.

Taurus didn't give in and kept working, this time typing on his computer. Belladonna kept insisting until saw that it was useless, then kneeled down beside Adam's seat and put a black leather collar on his lap. She stayed kneeled with her hands on her knees and waited for her master to act.

Adam grabbed the collar and stared at Blake, who had two shiny sparks on her golden eyes and was smiling. The bull faunus moved her hair in order to put the collar around her neck.

"Do you like the collar, kitten?" Blake nodded. "Let your master work and if you are a good pet I will give you a sweet reward."

The cat faunus was stubborn too and didn't give up either. She laid her chin on his lap and rubbed herself against his legs.

"But master, I want to play with you." She insisted.

"I said no, kitten." He repeated firmly.

But Blake was still wearing the collar and that meant that Adam did want to play, he just liked to make things more difficult and interesting.

She got up as he pretended to work, and stood before him. Slowly, Blake took her vest off and dropped it to the floor. With only that, Adam felt an uncomfortable pressure on his pants, hard to ignore Belladonna. He chuckled.

"Make it worth my time or I will return to work." Sentenced Adam.

The cat faunus smirked and caressed her own body, stroking her breasts and caressing between her legs. Adam couldn't resist, licking his lips as she rolled her short white pants and stockings down. Taurus pretended to return to his work seeing how Blake wasn't putting much effort and creativity, he know she could do it better and more entertaining.

No matter if she had Adam's attention or not, she kept undressing until was in her underwear. She could see her master staring at her by the corner of his eye but immediately pretending as if he wasn't doing it.

Blake laid down on the floor and played with herself, stroking her body and licking her fingers just to sneak her hand under the panties and start rubbing her cherry. She moaned loud to catch Adam's attention and she succeeded. When she was sure, closed her eyes and started whimpering and moaning harder.

"Oh, master… I'm thinking of you touching me." She mewled with a hoarse voice.

Taurus kept watching her sliding her wet fingers inside of herself, loudly moaning and gasping in pleasure, her legs open for him to see all her movements. She arched her back in pleasure, hitting the G-spot with the fingertips and her thighs started shaking slightly. She was arriving at the orgasm and Adam could do nothing about it, still sitting.

"Stop kitten, I forbid you to cum." Ordered Adam, suddenly getting up. "Come here." He said pointing at his shoes.

Blake slid her panties up her legs, finally getting his complete attention and renouncing at the orgasm. She crawled until arrived at his feet, where she kneeled.

"You belong to me and you can only cum if you made me before." He announced, sitting back. "What are you waiting for? Get to work."

The cat faunus crawled in front of him, the only space left was in the hole below the table. She held onto his thighs and unbuckled the belt, then sliding down his pants so he was in his underwear. As Blake sneaked her hands inside his boxers and used her hands to tease him, he kept working on the computer, writing emails to the other branches to organize the next collective meeting with the High Leader. He resisted the pleasure of Blake stroking his member up and down, acting as if nothing happened, but when she introduced it inside her mouth everything changed.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and came in without the bull faunus' permission. It was one of his subordinates that brought him coffee and more reports from hijacking operations. Taurus put his hands on Blake's head to make her stop sucking but she liked to tease him so she didn't obey. Adam had to keep some autocontrol or the subordinate would notice that his kitty was under the table giving him a blowjob.

"Sir, here I leave your other assignments." Said the member of the White Fang. "Do you need something else?"

"No…" Taurus sighed, his hands under the table trying to keep Blake's mouth away from him. "Leave."

But the subordinate saw that Adam's cheeks were red and he seemed as if he had been holding his breath for a long time.

"Are you alright, sir?" He asked again.

Blake chuckled to herself and while holding his member in front of her face, used the tongue to tease the sensitive tip. Taurus' hand gripped around her collar.

"Yes. Just a small headache… hmph… I'll rest for a w-while." Adam assured, his legs shaking under the table.

The subordinate nodded and left the office, leaving the master and the kitten alone again. Taurus looked down and saw her purring while stroking his member against her lips, giving him an innocent glance.

"You dirty little thing…" He muttered as she opened her mouth for him.

Adam groaned in pure bliss as he laid his head back and relaxed on his seat, feeling the cat faunus' wet tongue licking his length, from the tip to the base. He held Blake's head and pushed it forward to make it deeper. Soon, he lost control and grabbed her by the cheeks, controlling her movements and roughly making her swallow his member down her throat. She could barely breathe and sometimes choked, but let her master have the control over her to please his instincts.

"Open your mouth, kitten. I will feed you with my milk."

Belladonna obeyed and used her hand to charge his load, sticking out her tongue to not miss a drop of his aphrodisiac liquid. He left his seed on her mouth, she swallowed it quickly and licked him clean, sucking his member clean and drinking all he gave to her.

"With me, you won't be thirsty anymore, pussycat." He caressed her hair. "Now it's your turn, let me help you."

Adam roughly pushed the papers off the table and made Blake sit at the edge, sliding her panties down her legs. He put her ankles on the seat so he had her exposed for him and could comfortably please her while sitting. He passed his fingers between her flower, appreciating how wet she was and parting her lips. The bull faunus teased her, his fingers trying to thrust inside of her but just stroking her inner thighs and nearby areas to the most sensitive spot.

"Purr for me, kitty?"

Blake immediately obeyed and earned butterfly kisses on her inner thighs and womanhood. She moaned loud when Adam used his tongue to lick her over, with saliva lubricating her bundle of nerves and playing with it, making her twist in pleasure. He chuckled as she mewled and used his fingers, penetrating her and rubbing the upper wall of her insides.

"Do you enjoy the sweet treats your master gives you, huh?"

"Yes…" She moaned. "I want more, master."

The master pleased her and used his tongue along with his fingers, doing quick licks up and down on her cherry and with his lips sucking it, adding pressure and stimulating it, her moans praising the incredible job he was doing. With each movement, thrusting in and out, her moist and wet juices splattering as she spasmed, nailing her nails on the table and arching her back, ears folded down, panting quickly.

"Master, let me cum, please!" She begged.

"Do it, kitten. Cum for me."

Taurus quit licking and opened his mouth, knowing what would happen if he kept thrusting his fingers roughly. Blake mewled while caressing her breasts and her insides spasmed intensively, sending her over the edge and squirting, her juices on Adam's open mouth as he kept masturbating her.

"Thank you, master." She moaned, the fatigue slowly eclipsing the intense sensation.

Adam swallowed her sweet squirt juices and cleaned her flower with his tongue as she panted and rested. When he was done, he approached his wet fingers to her mouth and she licked them, tasting her own wet insides. Taurus groaned at the sight of his submissive faunus mate, exposed weakly just for him.

"Lick them clean, kitten. Look at the mess you have made."

Blake made sure to lick his hand and when she finished, Adam kissed her flower once more as a reward for being an obedient pet. The cat faunus got down from the table and got dressed, then gave the collar to Taurus, who had returned to work.

"Now kitten, I want you to return to our bedroom and wait on the bed naked. I have a few toys you might like to try."

* * *

Would you like a third part of this smutty kinky drabbles? Share your thoughts! (I don't know why I am asking this because I have already started the third and last part.)

Frozenheart7


	16. Unbreakable bound

**Unbreakable bound**

 **Summary:** [Adoptive sibling AU] Adam is meant to be Blake's adoptive brother but when he first meets her, his mating instincts chose her as his mate, making the hormones very difficult to control since he is around her too much often. His wild side collides with his mind as a seed of love grows in his heart.

 **Rating:** M

 **A/N:** These days I have been kinda busy. I was planning on finishing a fluffy drabble but for the lack of time, it has been impossible. I promise the next one will be fluffy to keep having variety. For this one expect crazy teenager faunus hormones.

I won't be able to reply the reviews this week but the next one I promise replies for everybody who left feedback. Have a great weekend!

* * *

The honorable chieftain of Menagerie entered the police office. The chief of the police, Saber Rodentia, thanked his assistance since the situation was critical. They had just arrested the major criminal of robberies on the island, the one that had pickpocketed more citizens and had been living on the streets for months now. Rodentia brought Ghira to the cell where they had been keeping the burglar.

"He is just a teenager?!" Exclaimed the chieftain.

"That's right, and he is a minor so we can't keep him inside a cell forever. What should we do?" Asked Rodentia.

Belladonna observed carefully the boy. He had black horns and red hair. He was strong and tall but it was obvious that wasn't a legal adult yet. He hadn't touched the food that the police gave him for dinner, he probably was scared and didn't trust the authorities. Ghira couldn't guess what horrible past must have suffered the young faunus.

"I want to speak to him." Finally sentenced.

The chieftain entered the cell, being watched by Saber in case the young criminal tried to hurt him. The burglar was sitting on a corner of the cell, embracing his own legs and hiding from everyone.

Ghira kneeled in front of him, keeping a foot of distance to not annoy him.

"Young man, what's your name?" Asked softly.

The burglar lifted his head and found the intimidating chieftain in front of him, his golden eyes observing carefully every movement. The young boy had a scar on his jaw, ending at the beginning of the neck. He also had bruises on both arms and had a cut near his eyebrow, surely wounds of the fight with the police.

"Adam." He answered, distrusting the panter faunus.

"Have you been living in the streets all this time?" The boy nodded. "Would you like to have a family?"

Belladonna saw how sparkles of hope filled Adam's red eyes. The boy was dirty and bad dressed but with the help of a shower, new clothes, food, education and care he could be like any other kid on Menagerie. A faunus searching for a safe haven from the racism. Finally, he nodded.

"I'm adopting him." Announced Ghira to Saber.

The burglar smiled and his eyes teared up. The chieftain stood up and offered his hand to the boy. He accepted it and stood on his feet.

"But chieftain, he has caused a lot of trouble!" Complained the chief of the police.

"This boy needs a family, not a punishment. "

The chieftain knew that there was strength in forgiveness and second chances.

Rodentia had to accept neither he like it or not, Taurus had nowhere else to go. The chieftain signed some documents to have the custody of the boy, but the process of adoption would take a few days so he had to return home alone to tell his wife and daughter that there would be another member in the family.

Ghira promised the boy that he would return soon, with new clothes and everything he needed and deserved in order to start a new life.

* * *

Ghira, after a week struggling with documents and papers, finally had the legal custody of Adam. It had been easy since his parents were deceased and no familiars had claimed him.

While Ghira went to bring the boy to his new home, Kali and Blake stayed preparing a welcome party to Adam, the new member of the family. They had prepared a cake, drinks and a good breakfast to celebrate. Both were excited to meet the boy, who had a rough life and deserved a much-needed rest. Kali was excited because she always wanted to have a daughter and a son and now she could. Her daughter was really curious about him and needed some company. Despite her father telling her not to push him, she had already started imagining that he would read to her and they would play chess together, being a confident big brother.

"Mom, do you think he will like me?" Asked the twelve-year-old Blake.

"Of course he will, sweetie."

Meanwhile, on the entrance Ghira was having a talk with Adam. He wasn't paying much attention to him because was amazed at the sight of the big house. His home from that day forward. The chieftain had given him everything he needed: new clothes, a house, and a family. He was eternally thankful to the honorable man. Taurus couldn't remember when was the last time he had worn a shirt and put on some cologne. Despite his good appearance, he was still nervous. He was afraid of rejection.

"I don't want you to feel pressured to call us 'dad' or 'mom', but my daughter… she is especially excited to have a big brother." Explained Ghira before opening the door of the manor.

Adam didn't know that he was going to have a little sister. Ghira had mentioned his wife but not his daughter. He didn't care about her, thinking that she would be a little girl. Nothing to worry about.

The chieftain opened the doors of his house for the burglar. Adam stared amazed at the hall, that had plants and flowers on the walls and ceiling. It had a special tropical style, all made of natural products like wood. Judging by the mere entrance, the rest of the house's rooms would be gigantic.

Kali and Blake due to their faunus heritage had a perfect hearing. Their ears perked when heard Ghira closing the door of the entrance of the house. The daughter's eyes shone excitedly as she stared at the door of the dining room, waiting for them to come. The mother saw how little Belladonna wanted to salute the new member of the family.

"Go and bring them here, sweetie." Said Kali encouraging her daughter to meet her new brother.

Blake ran to the door and went to find her father and brother at the entrance. She ran through the hallways but in one corner, she tripped over someone. The cat faunus fell to the floor, thinking that she had hit one of her father's guards but when she looked up found a red-headed boy with bullhorns.

Adam stared at the girl who had fallen. She looked a lot like Ghira, she had the same golden eyes and raven hair. He noticed two cute cat ears on top of her head. She was wearing a purple dress and while she stayed on the floor staring at him, he could appreciate her long legs.

"Are you alright?" Asked Taurus, still mesmerized by the beauty of the girl.

He lent his hand to her. Blake placed her palm on his and let him help her get up from the floor. All he could read on her facial expression was innocence. Her pale flawless skin captivated him and made his heart rush in strong beats.

Blake embraced him warmly, her arms tightened around his waist. Taurus couldn't react properly, just felt a burning instinct inside. His hand tangled in her long hair as he breathed her faunus hormones. The pressure on his pants grew as she pushed herself closer in an even more tight embrace.

Ghira came and found his daughter embracing her new brother.

"Oh! I see you already meet each other. Adam, this is my daughter, Blake." Introduced the chieftain.

" _Oh, no. It can't be that my mating instincts have chosen her!"_ Thought the bull faunus. " _My new sister as my mate?! Impossible!"_

The faunus instincts appeared on a faunus' adolescence. Blake was still too young to develop them but Adam had the perfect age and since he had been living a marginal life, the cat faunus was the only female faunus he had physically interacted with. The cat faunus made a step backward and let go of his body. Taurus felt his burning need grow much more when she got away. He couldn't avoid them or even control those instincts. At least while Blake was there in front of him.

"I'm really happy to meet you!" Said Blake cheerily, still too young to comprehend Adam's struggles. "Come to the dining room, we have a surprise for you!"

Cheerfully, Blake held Taurus' hand while walking fast at the dining room. He had no idea of what to do, feeling his passion grow on his pants. He had to hide it but the sweat on his forehead made him suspicious. Maybe Ghira's daughter didn't know the mating instincts but her father did. If he found out that Adam's instincts chose little Belladonnaasa mate, he would be finished. They would send him back to the police station, locked in a cell. He desired to be part of that family, but his faunus pheromones played him a dirty trick.

* * *

Taurus was now part of the Belladonna family. He had started going to classes and established a regular routine of a normal life. What wasn't normal were his faunus instincts, that were interfering on his social life. He couldn't be near Blake or even on the same courtyard at the High school because the mere fact of smelling her scent turned him into a primal animal. Despite that, he was happy to be one of the Belladonnas. Ghira spent the day on his office on the house, doing paperwork, organizing events, having meetings and making Menagerie a better place. Kali was a wonderful mother and listener, she was a housekeeper, cooked, cleaned and was her husband's secretary. When Blake and Adam returned from school, they already had a snack prepared and then did their homework. After a few hours of free time, they were called for dinner and talked about their day at the table with the family.

On weekends they would watch a movie and go to sleep late, like that day. They had seen a movie about paranormal activity, ghosts and haunted mansions. After that, the two teenagers retired to their room to go sleep.

Taurus had his room in front of Blake's but luckily the hallway was wide and the space between them was enough for Adam not to deal with his male faunus hormones. His room was big and comfortable. He had a big window with a balcony where plants were hanging down. Inside he had bookshelves, a table to make homework and a king-sized bed. He couldn't ask for more.

After taking off his clothes except for his underwear, Adam covered himself with the bedsheets, willing to sleep. The sound of the rainy night and the thunders relaxed him and reminded that he had to be grateful have a home and not be on the streets anymore.

The calm and relax didn't last long.

A few seconds after noticing Blake's essence, two shy knocks on the door interrupted Adam's loneliness and peace. He didn't answer, already knowing that his adoptive sister was the one knocking. When he thought that she was gone, the door of his bedroom opened and then closed. Blake's vanilla smell got more intense.

"Adam?" She called frightened for the tempest and the horror movie. "Can I sleep with you?"

Blake climbed to Adam's bed and observed him pretending to be asleep. She noticed some scars on his back and how strong he was. She touched him, Taurus rolled over the mattress and faced her. He saw how scared she was, her golden eyes opened in fear and the whole body trembling. Her eyes went down her chest, noticing that he was shirtless.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Adam trying to keep the calm, his body starting to burn. "I was sleeping."

"Please let me stay with you tonight. I'm scared." She begged.

Before the bull faunus could decline her petition, she covered herself with the bedsheets and embraced Adam, searching for shelter snuggling into his neck. He noticed her warm hands on his skin and her breath on the neck, making him shiver. He closed her eyes as his hands trailed down her back and taking autocontrol, quickly returned them up, stroking her hair. As soon as Blake stopped trembling, Adam started doing the same trying to resist not to touch her inappropriately.

"Are you scared too?" Asked Belladonna noticing how he was trembling. "Let me hold you tighter."

The cat faunus put her leg around his waist and laid on top of him, her arms embracing his torso. Taurus trembled even more, feeling an uncomfortable pressure on his boxers. Blake rubbed herself against him, creating friction as she noticed his bulge.

"What's tha-...?" Tried to ask Blake but Adam pushed her away, quickly got up and locked himself on the bathroom.

Belladonna got out of the bed and went to the door of the bathroom. She heard the sound of the shower but didn't understand why Taurus needed cold water over him.

"Adam! What's wrong?" She asked knocking on the door.

"This is wrong! I didn't give you permission to enter, I don't want you on my dorm, get out of here!" He yelled from behind the door, trying to protect her.

Blake's eyes teared up, experiencing reject from her adoptive brother who she loved as a member of the family despite everything.

"I understand. I won't disturb you again." She said resigned and got out from his dorm.

Taurus let the cold water wash away his burning instincts as Blake's essence vanished slowly. He arrived to the conclusion that needed to satisfy those instincts or he couldn't control himself any longer.

* * *

The sunny day invited to the people on the island to go out and have fun outdoors. Even though Blake disliked the sun because she got sunburned very easily, she decided to go outdoors and read in the garden. The sound of the birds choring and the soft wind would help her focus and relax.

But, for her surprise, her favorite spot under the shadow of the biggest palm tree was occupied by Adam... and her new girlfriend: Sienna Khan, a tiger faunus. She also went to the same school as them and was one of the popular girls on Adam's class. He was handsome so it had been easy to date her and after some time, convince her to come over their house and meet Ghira and Kali. That was why that day they were on the house, waiting for the food to be ready.

Adam and her where on the hammock. He had his arms tangled around her waist as she kissed and bited him on the neck playfully. His hands sneaked under her black shirt and stroked her belly, caressing the black marks on her skin as a tiger faunus trait, not counting her ears, very similar to Blake's. Taurus laughed when Sienna tickled him with her breath near his ear and as a payback, rubbed between her legs, making her growl.

"What are you doing?" Interrupted Blake with the book in the hand, annoyed for the sight.

Adam didn't even notice Blake's essence as he had Sienna's all over him. While he was occupied, the bound to Blake wasn't hard to control since he had a new girlfriend to play with. But when they were alone, control his instincts wasn't easy but with the years he managed to hide the evidences of his attraction towards Blake. She had grown up now and was almost fourteen and could see how her body was changing.

"Go away, little girl. You are too young to see this kind of things." Barked the tiger faunus.

Taurus was still worried about what would happen when Blake's instincts developed. She would notice Adam's essence and bound to her and that would be a problem.

"The garden is for everyone. I can stay here if I want." Protested the cat faunus.

Knowing that Khan was extremely possessive and had had deeply bounded to him, Adam tried to calm her down before she would hurt Blake in order to protect her mate.

"Blake, just leave. Don't tell Kali and Ghira that you have seen us here." Replied Adam stroking Sienna's back.

"Yes, go away. Can't you see that we are having fun here?" Said Sienna smirking and caressing his chest sensually.

The cat faunus refused to leave so Sienna made Adam lay down and kissed him on the lips passionately, making her adoptive sister see that he was hers. Her hands caressed his chest and she made sure for Blake to see their tongues enter on each other's mouth. Blake left annoyed for the tiger faunus' rude behaviour. She acted as if it was her house only because her boyfriend was a member of the Belladonna family.

"Was it necessary?" Asked Adam seeing how Blake entered the house, angrier than when she found them laying on her hammock.

* * *

After that tension moment on the garden, the family reunited around the table to eat and to know Adam's new girlfriend. Kali had prepared a great meal for them. Blake stared at Sienna clearly annoyed but nobody noticed it because all were too mesmerized with her beauty and intelligence. Sienna knew how to charm their parents, talking about her future, aspirations and hobbies. On their presence, she was polite and reserved, not like what the cat faunus saw on the garden. She didn't like Khan as Adam's girlfriend and would make her parents see the same.

"I showed Sienna the garden." Explained Taurus, not telling that they had been kissing on Blake's hammock.

"I love you magnolias, Mrs. Belladonna." Flattered the tiger faunus to Kali, who blushed because she spent a lot of time to take care of the plants on the garden of the house.

"Wasn't there a tiger on heat? I think I spotted one in my hammock this morning." Suddenly said Blake.

The family stayed silent, staring at the youngest member of the family, who was clearly annoyed due to Sienna's fake appearances. She held her golden glance and defied Khan.

"No, we saw an embittered black cat. One of those that bring bad luck around." Replied Khan smiling victorious to the cat faunus.

"What did you say?!" Asked Blake furious and showing her teeth to her.

"Save your claws. If you think that Adam will leave me just because you are pissing us off by meowling around you are wrong." Replied Khan instinctively and immediately realizing that their parents also heard what she said.

Taurus abruptly got up from his seat, the protection instinct ordering him to protect his true mate, Blake. Sienna tried to apologize but there were no useful words. Belladonna achieved to show her family Adam's girlfriend's true nature.

"Nobody disrespects my family." Sentenced Taurus, making the tiger faunus get up from the table.

"Leave." Ordered Ghira. "And don't ever return here, you are not welcome."

The guards accompanied Adam's former girlfriend to the exit of the house. Blake got up from the table and walked away from the dining room, willing to return to her dorm to read. Nevertheless, her adoptive brother followed her through the corridors, calling out her name but Blake didn't turn or stop.

Adam managed to catch Blake's hand and pulled her towards him. He ignored his instincts, her emotions were more important than that. When she turned, the bull faunus could see her amber eyes filled with tears that refused to slip down her cheeks.

"Don't touch me with the same hands that have touched her." Hissed Belladonna.

"Wait, my darling."

His words weren't enough to calm her down. Blake managed to get away from him and locked herself on her room. Adam stood before her door for a while and could even hear slight cries from inside the room.

He didn't understand her and Blake even less. She was in a complicated stage of her life, time of change. Later she would discover what was really happening to her and would understand the reason of every action that Taurus made since he stepped on the Belladonna house.

* * *

Blake prepared some aphrodisiac tea and checked if her red lipstick was still on its place before bringing it to Adam. Both had to stay that night alone in the house because Kali and Ghira were at a White Fang reunion. The cat faunus had developed her mating instincts and she wanted Taurus to admit what was happening to him.

When Belladonna went into the dining room and left the tea on the table, felt Adam's eyes on her. He was captivated by this new version of Blake, wearing a tight black dress and some make up. He know she has this sexier side of her only for his delight to watch. She sat beside him but he tried to get away slightly. She didn't let him, catching his wrist. He would succumb to his instincts.

"I'm not a child anymore, Adam. I know what is happening to you."

Taurus' heart rushed as he drank the tea without knowing the effects that would cause one him. He didn't mutter a single word afterwards but his glance said everything he could express. She playfully tilted her head and unconsciously passed one hand through her tight dress to draw his attention there. It worked, Taurus followed with his red eyes the way her hands went. She stopped on her chest and made him see the very beginning of the lace of her cat faunus smirked and put her hand on his inner thigh.

"Don't do it, Blake. This is wrong." Warned Adam, controlling his heat.

"We have never been family. You chose me as your mate instead."

She was right in everything that she said, both knew it but Adam didn't want to admit it.

"Did you choose me as your mate too?" Dared to ask Taurus, noticing how pretty she was dressed just for him.

Blake nodded and leaned close to him, searching for his lips. Adam didn't move and let her kiss him and explore his mouth with her tongue. With his hands trembling, he pulled her closer and caressed her curves. The cat faunus moaned and descended down to his jaw and neck, where she kissed, bited and licked his skin. When his hands found her breasts, he growled and felt her intoxicating scent consuming him, trying to take the control of his body.

"Enough." Growled Taurus pushing her away.

He got up and run to his room but Blake followed his steps, trying to convince him. She would stand her ground and have him, convinced that a relationship wouldn't be wrong.

"My parents won't know. This can work out!" Said Blake.

"Get away from me." He warned, opening the door of his room.

Adam tried to close the door but Blake put her hand on it so he couldn't do it. Taurus walked backwards as she entered the room, closing the door behind her.

"You chose to hide an suppress your instincts but I don't want to do the same." She said walking forward to him. "You don't have to feel guilty for feeling attraction towards someone."

Adam's back found the edge of his bed. Blake was already before him, caressing his chest and unbuttoning his shirt. Taurus stayed quiet, breathing heavily as she undressed him. The cat faunus gave him a seductive glance and when his shirt wasn't buttoned kissed his chest. The whole room smelled of their hormones.

"Wait." Adam said, his breath unstable. "On the bed we will be more comfortable."

Belladonna smirked as both climbed to the bed, she pushed him down. She climbed on top of him, sitting on his lap, creating some friction while kissing him. Adam tried to relax, feeling that the heat got uncontrollable due to Blake's tea. On a desperate moment, he grabbed her by the hips and made her roll over so he was the dominant. He tried to tear off her dress, impatient and growling but Blake just pulled down the zipper and let him remove it. Adam turned crazy when saw her entire lingerie made of a dark shade of red and lace.

"Do you like what you see?" Teased Belladonna, feeling like a woman.

Taurus was an animal, wildly kissing her breasts and sneaking his hands inside her panties. Blake tangled her arms around his neck and kissed him, letting him do whatever he wanted with her. She mewled when felt his fingers rub a sensitive spot. Taurus didn't have compassion and kept stimulating it, making the cat faunus purr and moan in pure bliss. She desired the climax but wanted to experience it along with Adam, their bodies being one.

Trying to focus, Blake's hands traveled down his torso and found his leather belt. She unbuckled it, delighted by the metallic sound and Adam's growls. Adam ripped off Blake's bra and found that there she was hiding a condom. Then he was conscious of what he was doing, they were going to have sex.

Blake leaned to kiss his neck but he pushed her away.

"No, Blake. Stop." He asked.

Adam knew that he couldn't stop her, the heat took control of her. He didn't want to keep going but he couldn't stop her neither. She didn't care for the physical pain but the emotional instead… it was the only way for him to stop this.

"I will enlist for the White Fang army." He suddenly confessed, knowing that it would hurt her and the desire would disappear.

Blake's passion lit down and covered her bodies with the bedsheets. She was shocked by the sudden confession that didn't know what to say or do. He got up from the bed and threw the condom to the trash can, hiding it so nobody could know what might have happened between them the night that both stayed alone at home.

"You are going to leave us? Leave me?!" Asked Belladonna crying. "That goes against your instincts!"

Taurus tried to put on his clothes that were scattered on the floor and sweaty, but finally decided that it was best to change into his clean pajama.

"I'm not an animal, my darling. Despite being difficult, I can control myself. I will show the humans that we deserve the respect we want, we are like them." He replied.

Blake refused to stay on his room. She quickly got dressed and tried to leave the room, but Adam didn't let her, catching her wrist.

"Stop messing with my feelings! First, you ask me to leave, then we mate, you stop it and when I try to leave you don't let me?!" She yelled crying.

Blake felt his warm hand on her cheek, forcing her chin with his thumb to stare into his deep red eyes. She got calmed by his touch and when he was sure that she was stable, pulled her in a tight embrace. She held into him because had nothing else to do but understand the situation.

"My darling, I can't deny our connections, my feeling towards you but… Under this circumstances we can't be mates. Not if we are living under the same roof as siblings."

She never forgot those words and his warmth comforting her.

* * *

Adam's screams broke the silence of the Belladonna manor. Blake heard them and quickly run to his dorm despite being told not to do it several times. She had been awfully distant since what happened that night they were alone in the house. He had also been cold but she was the one that refused to speak to him. She kept the secret to herself and didn't tell their parents the reason why they were distant and avoided each other.

But that night, Taurus was suffering on his sleep, swearing and squirming, trying to get up from a horrible nightmare. His sister climbed to his bed and tried to wake him up.

"Adam!" She called touching his arm, he opened his eyes in tears and couldn't stop crying. "It's alright. It was just a nightmare."

The bull faunus pulled Blake closer into a tight embrace and insisted her to stay with him for a while, forgetting their burning passion or mating bounds. The cat faunus accepted and comforted him, caressing his intense red hair until his breath was stable and he stopped crying and shaking.

"It wasn't just a nightmare because it happened." He suddenly said. "I was living my past over and over again."

Blake's ears perked as he never spoke about his past to anyone, not Ghira, not Kali, not her. She just knew that he was an orphan and that had to steal to survive on the streets. She made him lay his head on her chest and caressed his horns carefully.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Blake said. "If it makes you feel better…"

Taurus sighed and closed his eyes, drying the tears from his face. He felt Blake's small hands caressing him lovingly, trying to calm him. He had never spoken about his parents to anyone but he thought that it would be better if he did. He could trust Blake, his mate, and decided to do it, to share his sorrow with her.

"I had loving parents like you and I can barely remember their faces. I was an orphan with just ten years and I had to spend six years traveling around Remnant, searching for people to steal and escaping from the authorities. I had never experienced such cold winters but now I'm grateful I have a family and a house as loving as my true one." He explained.

Blake placed her lips on his forehead sweetly and held him tight. Adam felt a relief now that he had told someone his feelings and thoughts.

"What happened to your parents?" She dared to ask.

"They were murdered when refused to be slaves on a Schnee dust company mine. On those years Jacques Schnee kidnapped our species and used faunus labor on his business. He still does that and despite being a shady business, he still is the richest man in Remnant. That's why I want to join the White Fang."

Belladonna stayed silent for a moment. She couldn't imagine how hard her childhood had been. Living on the streets after losing everything he loved and spending six years of his life stealing to survive and escaping eternally. That until he to Menagerie in a desperate intent to escape from the police. When he started stealing on her father's island was when the faunus police caught him and when the chieftain decided to adopt him.

"I admire your drive and strength, Adam." She just said, knowing that the White Fang fought for the faunus rights and its main enemy was the Schnee dust company.

Now all made sense. She thought that he wanted to leave the house to avoid her and the White Fang was the only place where he would be welcomed. Instead, he decided to enlist for the White Fang to fight for that was right, for the fauns species.

Blake made sure that he was alright and got down from the bed, willing to return to sleep in her dorm. Nevertheless, when she opened the door to leave, Adam called her:

"Can you stay? Just cuddle." He asked, retiring the bedsheets for her to lay beside him.

Blake nodded and returned to the bed with Adam, his strong arms tightening around her small body. Both fell asleep soon and none of them had nightmares again that night.

* * *

The ship that would bring the new trainees of the White Fang to its principal headquarter would sail soon. The families were saying their goodbyes to the generally young new members. On the crowd, there was the Belladonna family too. A proud Ghira was hugging his adoptive son, patting his back and wishing him the best. Kali gave him his bags and hugged him too, telling him to be careful and fight for the faunus rights. Adam saved the best for last.

Their parents left Blake and Adam alone to talk more peacefully, knowing that they had bounded in someway special. The cat faunus stared at her mate and couldn't help but smile.

"Are you happy that I will be gone? You won't have to deal with those crazy faunus hormones anymore." He joked but still surprised for her smile.

The young Belladonna tangled her arms around his neck. He had to lean forward for her to arrive to his cheek where she placed the last kiss. Then her mouth went to his ear and whispered:

"When I will be old enough I'm going to enlist too and then you won't have any excuse to stop me from loving you."

Adam smirked at her fiery spirit, knowing how stubborn she was but deeply was glad that she decided to make that choice. After all, they were mates and that bound was unbreakable.

"I'm not against it, my darling. Do you promise it?" He said caressing her cheek.

"I promise."

* * *

As I said, crazy hormones.

The next drabble will be pure fluffy, believe me Karvost!

Frozenheart7


	17. Love's fever

Love's fever

 **A/N:** A short, sweet, dorky fluffy drabble. I combined the request of fluff with another that asked for a romantic moment (actually it was a lemon, but it couldn't be here) when Blake was sick. So here it is, a bittersweet fluffy story of our favorite couple in the RWBY series.

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** Everything goes well between pupil and mentor. Their bound gets stronger and stronger until one day, breaking Blake's trust, Adam sneaks and reads her diary. There on the paper, it's written each of her feelings and thoughts and Adam will discover that he is not as cold as he thought.

Dedicated to Karvost who always reads me and had requested some fluff since weeks ago.

* * *

Blake had one strict night routine. After the training with Adam she would go take a shower, then meet with Ilia and sit together to have dinner and at last return to her shared room to rest. Her mentor's bed was always empty, he would arrive past midnight because he had a high ranking and he had some meetings to attend. So, the apprentice would take advantage of that time alone to make some relaxing tea and write in her diary. It was a hardcover book, with two leather stripes to keep it closed and prevent someone to sneak. She kept it hidden under her couch and only Ilia knew about its existence.

Tired and exhausted, the cat faunus sat on her bed and with her pencil continued making a sketch of a random White Fang member with the official uniform one day she expected to wear. Nevertheless, when she was making the final touches, shadow effects, and lightning, she noticed that she didn't draw a random male member. His factions were not chosen randomly and its body neither.

Unconsciously, she had drawn Adam. There was no doubt.

"How curious." She thought.

Lately, Blake had been thinking a lot about Adam. He was the first person she saw in the morning and was in her thoughts more than usual. She didn't know why. She believed it was due to some kind of mystical spiritual connection. Ilia didn't think the same.

"He is way older than you. These kinds of guys just break hearts. Don't fall for him." Ilia warned her once.

But there was no way she was falling for him, could it be?

* * *

"Blake." Adam whispered.

She turned and saw her mentor behind her, standing tall, walking towards her. The soft wind blew and her hair moved along with it. In a blink of an eye, she found Adam before her, his hands cupped her cheeks. A slight rose blush appeared and Taurus made the sweetest smile while staring at his apprentice.

"I think I love you" He said.

Blake felt the warmth of his breath on her lips as their faces approached. Her arms tangled around her neck as she closed her eyes and waited for the kiss.

"Belladonna!"

When she opened them again, Adam was still in front of her but in a very different situation. He was trying to wake her up by shaking her. His hormones natural smell filled her senses. He smelled like recently baked bread.

"Adam! Stop it!" She laughed, pushing him away.

"It's late. Get up or I will tickle you." He threatened.

Blake giggled and turned around, showing his back to Adam. She wrapped herself up in the blankets and waited for him to fuss and get to the tickling.

"Pffft… Don't say I didn't warn you."

Taurus boarded his apprentice's bed and proceeded to unwrap the kind of roll that she made with the bedsheets. Belladonna tried to fight back but in the end, the bull faunus found the way to leave her vulnerable. His fingers sneaked between her arms and moved quickly without compassion, making the apprentice laugh loudly.

"Adam!" She yelled and laughed at the same time.

Blake pushed him away and for a moment got free from the funny torture but then he sat on her legs and grabbed her wrists, pinning her down. The cat faunus stopped laughing and stared into Adam's eyes only to descend and find his lips very close to her face. He leaned towards her and the cat faunus closed her eyes out of shyness. Nevertheless, the warmth that she wished that was on her lips, appeared on her right ear on top of her head.

"Why were you saying my name in your sleep?" Adam whispered.

Blake's heart skipped and he noticed that she had been dreaming about something really embarrassing. The bull faunus faced Blake again and for a moment could see her eyes shining very bright, an unknown feeling hiding beneath them. It was something new to him.

"I had a nightmare." Was the best excuse Blake could manage, but he didn't believe her.

The cat faunus tried to get up and leave but he didn't let her. Instead, he got closer and touched her forehead with his. Blake tried to hold the glance.

"Don't lie to me." He hissed. "Tell me, my darling."

Belladonna's head was about to explode as her heart beat faster. She heard him snicker when a red blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Can't keep me off your thoughts, huh?" He smirked.

"A-Adam…" She whispered, he observed closely. "Let go."

The spark on Taurus' eyes disappeared. He let go of her wrists but Blake didn't move from her position, just crossed her arms up her chest and turned her face away. Adam didn't move and a few seconds later she noticed his hand brushing her hair off her face. Unconsciously, she sighed and said the first thing that appeared in her mind:

"Well, I spend most of my time with you."

Both knew this wasn't the reason why she kept whispering his name. Blake knew Adam was right, she unconsciously drawn, dreamed and thought of him. Everyday. Even still, she tried to keep serious to make him believe that lie that buried her true feelings.

"Smile for me, sweetheart." He said in a sweet tone, noticing that Blake was upset for the pressure of his questions. "Or are you in those days of the month?"

He received a soft push on his right shoulder as a reply. Nothing would change the fact that he liked to have his pupil happy and compliant. And to achieve that behavior for the day, he descended his hands close to her hips and sneaked them under her pajamas. Blake realized it was too late to stop Adam.

He was going to do something worse than tickles.

Blake's only weakness: Bellyrubs.

"Adam, no!" She yelled but didn't stop his fingers.

This time Blake laughed but more happily than nervously. Those caresses were a natural instinctive pleasant therapy that was in her faunus heritage.

"Enjoying this, my love?" He asked teasingly, still rubbing her belly, watching her trying to roll over the mattress. Happiness was filling her soul.

The joy lasted until someone knocked on the door. Adam had to leave Blake in peace, who was still smiling and covered herself again with the sheets to prevent another tickle attack. Taurus opened the door and found Ilia Amitola concerned. She slept on the dorm besides them.

"Yes?" Said Adam.

"Can you please make less noise? All the White Fang can hear how you're gonna make me aunt in the following months." She said and then left quickly.

Taurus closed the door and turned to see his apprentice snickering. She was laughing at his petrified face and deep down because she was nervous about Ilia mentioning a possible intimate relationship with Adam.

* * *

Another exhausting day that Adam returned to the dorm half-asleep. He didn't even look in which bed he fell. It was when he grabbed the pillow, that noticed that he was laying on Blake's bed. He could smell her vanilla essence stained in the bedsheets. It was shooting being surrounded by her perfume. The bull faunus stretched his arms and he noticed something hard hiding inside the pillow. Taurus searched inside and found a small, dark book.

"Surely it's one of her filthy books." Adam snickered.

But Adam opened and what found wasn't filthy. The pages of the book were handwritten. It wasn't a book, it was Blake's diary. Much better than a smutty book, more interesting, and juicier. Adam's pupil had a beautiful calligraphy and he could see that she wrote every day about her routine on the small diary. It was strange that he had never noticed that Blake had hidden her diary, Blake surely knew how to keep a secret. And speaking of secrets, Adam was just about to read her journal to figure out what happened in Blake's mind since she was always silent and was introverted. Adam didn't even know where to start reading, he couldn't decide which page to read first. He checked which day Blake had started writing in the diary but before arriving at the beginning, Adam found another precious secret, it was a love poem and beside it, there was a drawing.

It was him, showing his back and half of his face covered with his Grimm mask. Blake had drawn each of the details of his jacket and the rose emblem. And the best part was the small pink hearts all around him.

Just at that moment, the door of the shared dorm closed. Taurus looked up and found his pupil with her hair wet and a towel on her neck, coming from the training. Blake's eyes moved to her diary, that was open in Adam's hands. An intense blush appeared on her cheeks but the innocence and sweetness of her expression changed to anger and rage.

"Adam?" She yelled. "What are you doing?!"

"It wasn't my intention. I just found it…" He tried to explain.

Belladonna ran towards her bed and stole her own diary from Adam. The cat faunus realized which page he had been reading and a few tears started to fall from her golden eyes. She turned her back to her mentor to not cry in front of him.

"You had no right to read this." She said, sorrowful. "I thought that you would respect me and my privacy." She closed the diary and crossed her arms over her chest, holding it.

"Blake, I'm sorry." Adam said, sincerely. He got up and stood before her. She didn't turn to face him. He could notice her unstable breath and anxiety. "I promise it was a coincidence. I didn't want to offend you."

Taurus placed his hand on Blake's shoulder due to the lack of response. She turned, aggressively and Adam could see how affected she was.

"This is where I keep all my secrets, the only place where I can express my feelings. You can't possibly understand how important is it to me!" She yelled.

"I'm sorry, Blake. I will forget everything I have seen inside." Adam promised, thinking that the explosion of emotions was due the discovering of her romantic feelings towards him.

Taurus tried to reach for her and embrace Blake's trembling and altered body, but the cat faunus used her semblance and ran away. Adam trapped a shadow between his arms before letting go of it, disappearing as Blake, who ran away, exiting their shared dorm. The small distraction gave the cat faunus enough advantage to escape from Adam and knock at Ilia's dorm to let her stay there temporarily. When the bull faunus exited and arrived at the hallways, it was too late, Blake was gone.

Geez, he didn't know Blake, a mature and serious person, could get that nervous just for a diary. But it wasn't for the diary, it was for what was written inside. Adam knew what she felt for him and he wasn't disposed to lose her. For that same reason, he decided to give her time to assimilate what happened.

* * *

Five impatient knocks on the door.

Adam opened his eyes and with a blurry sight saw that it was 2 am in the morning. Normally he would have ignored them, thinking that it was just one of the subordinates wanting to disturb his rest, but seeing Blake's bed empty, he thought that it could be her. Taurus immediately got up and opened the door. Unluckily, it wasn't Blake.

Ilia covered partly her eyes when saw that Adam was half-naked.

"Blake's not feeling very well." She told him.

"I already know that, why do you come at this hours?" Adam asked.

"It's not about the diary argument. I think she is sick. Very sick." Amitola said, and Taurus could see the worry on her lilac eyes.

Adam ordered Ilia to led him to where Blake was. The two faunus entered to Ilia's dorm and on the other bed Adam saw Blake laying. He approached and smelled the sweat coming out of her pores. He removed the bed sheets from her and touched her forehead. She was burning and her whole body was trembling. Drops of sweat left the couch of the bed wet and she had her eyes tightly closed, whispering incoherent things.

"She has a fever." Taurus said and then shook Blake. "Wake up, Blake. Open your eyes."

Blake didn't answer, she was half-hallucinating. Amitola bit her nails and waited for Adam's orders while seeing the poor state that the cat faunus was.

"Hurry, call the doctor." Adam ordered and Ilia didn't waste time and ran as fast as she could.

When Taurus was left alone with his pupil, he noticed that her hair was still wet. She probably got ill for not drying it before getting in bed. He was feeling awfully guilty because it was his fault what happened that same afternoon. If he hadn't opened the diary, Blake wouldn't have left the room all wet and wouldn't have get sick. The bull faunus lifted her from the wet bed and brought her to their room.

He placed her on the bed and the first thing he did was take off her wet clothes. She needed to get cold and the hot sweat wasn't helping. Carefully, he leaned Blake to his chest and retired her white t-shirt, that was soaked. Then he made her lean back to the pillow and slid down her black leggings. He covered her with a thin blanket before he could see any part of her body she wouldn't like to expose. Then, he grabbed a towel from the bathroom and placed it between the pillows and her head, to not let her wet hair stain the pillows.

The doctor showed just in time and checked Blake's temperatures. She had a high fever that needed to be brought down for her to wake up. After a few minutes, when the doctor was ending his diagnostic, Amitola came to the room with a bucket full of cold water and ice.

"Don't want her under no concept. If the temperature is still high after half an hour, fill the bathtub with cold water and put her inside. For now, try to cool her down with the towels and the ice." Were the words of the doctor. "Call me if she gets worse or you need help."

The doctor left and Ilia and Adam immediately assisted the cat faunus. They sank the towels in the cold water and wrapped them around some ice to keep the towels cold. They placed then on Blake's forehead and back of her neck. Adam also washed her arms with the frozen water.

"I don't…" Blake whispered. " ...want to lose him."

Ilia glanced at Adam, who was totally conscious that Blake was dreaming about him. The bull faunus felt her cold glance go through him and turned to face her.

"It's very early in the morning, Amitola. Go get some rest. I will take care of my pupil." Taurus ordered.

Amitola had no other chance than leave the room. Once Adam had Blake with the cold water on her body, he forced himself to stay awake to take care of the most important person in his life. That was it, Blake was everything he had. No family or friends. When he returned from the meetings and he finished his duties at the headquarter, it was Blake who was waiting for him and who was willing to listen to his problems and support him.

Taurus thought that the ambiance was still not cold enough, so he opened the windows and let the cold air of the Forever Fall forest fill the room. Adam had to cover himself with his red sleeveless shirt and black pants as he started shivering for the temperature and didn't want to end like Blake.

"Sorry…" Blake whispered and shook her head in her sleep, making the towels fall aside.

Adam kneeled in front of the bed and placed the wet towel back on her forehead. He caressed her small fingers and observed her expressions. She wasn't calmed as he used to see her while being asleep, this time there was a hurricane of feelings inside of her and he hated seeing her so powerless against herself.

"You are strong, Blake." He reminded her. "Come on, wake up."

But the cat faunus didn't move an eyelash. She was still sinking into the world of dreams and Adam was anxious for her to wake up and finally talk to her about their argument.

He checked her temperature and found relief when noticed that she wasn't as hot as before. The towels were starting to be warm so he soaked then again inside the bucket an replaced the ice cubes from inside, then he did the same with the one on the back of her neck. After that, Adam retired the bed sheet that was covering her almost naked body and passed the wet towel through her long legs, avoiding to see her underwear, just caring about her corporal temperature.

Once he was satisfied with his work as a nurse and Blake had stopped whispering senseless words, he allowed himself to relax. It was past 4 am in the morning and he was exhausted. His neck hurt, so he rested it on the couch. He closed his eyes and slowly, he couldn't help but fall asleep. Her last thought on her conscious world being the wellness of his pupil.

* * *

With the first rays of the sun at dawn, Blake opened her amber eyes. She found herself immersed in a wave of dizziness. Her whole body was surrounded by coldness, except one small part, her hand. She focused to see well and searched the source of the warmth. And hidden in the dark, kneeled on the floor beside her bed, with his head on the couch, Blake found Adam deeply asleep. His other hand was on her forehead, preventing the fall of the cold towel and the ice cubes.

She didn't remember much of what happened during the night. After Adam had found her diary and read about her feelings towards him, she ran to Ilia's dorm. There she rested on the bed and fell asleep. The next she knew was an immense pain and an uncontrollable trembling, trying to break her. Now she was back in her shared dorm with Adam asleep on his knees. He seemed to have taken care of her all those hours. And he seemed exhausted and worried.

A sudden shake made Blake shiver and groan, waking up Adam by the movement she made. Their eyes met and Blake's hands immediately went to grab the blanket to cover her body.

"Blake, don't do that. You have fever." He explained.

"But I'm very cold." Blake complained.

Taurus sat on the edge of the couch and placed his hand on Blake's forehead. He noticed that the fever was gone and the trembling that she had was now due to the true cold in the room. He didn't realize it until he made sure that Blake was stable.

"I'm cold too." Adam admitted.

"Lay here with me." Blake proposed.

Adam hesitated so the cat faunus space for him to join her on the bed and patted the couch. The bull faunus laid down beside his pupil and afterward he felt her smalls hands embracing him. She leaned her head on the crook of his neck and rested for a while. Nevertheless, Adam couldn't even close his eyes. He was too focused on his own heartbeats and he was sure that Blake was noticing how fast his heart was going. The cat faunus smiled sweetly. It was tender seeing how gentle and affectionate he was being when Adam had a cold personality and felt awkward when she was loving. Actually, Belladonna was the only one that was close to him and she had seen some hidden faces from her mentor that nobody had seen. Adan apologizing to her? He wouldn't have apologized to anyone else in the headquarter because he was too stubborn and proud of himself. She had always been special for him.

"Are you still mad at me?" Asked Taurus, nervous.

"No, forget it. I acted like a child." Blake answered, ashamed of her behavior.

"I understand, my darling. You don't want anyone to read your thoughts and feelings."

"Actually, now I'm glad that you have read it." Blake confessed, her cheeks red. "I needed to express my love for you one way or another."

Adam's heart skipped a beat and sat on the couch to face the cat faunus. Blake was as nervous as him and had her face red and lips mid open. She was in love and was done of hiding it.

"Blake…" Adam started. "I'm mad for you too."

The cat faunus smiled and her eyes shone even brighter in the dark.

"If I had a diary I would have pictures of you stuck in each page, because I suck at drawing."

Belladonna couldn't hold a laugh. It was funny to see that relaxed side of Adam. He wasn't his boss, mentor or superior. He was his friend and love.

"I don't want to ruin this." Said Blake. "How about we start things slowly?"

Taurus caressed her cheek and smiled tenderly. It was adorable seeing how innocent she was. If she wanted, he would go to the end of Remnant for her. Besides, showing affection wasn't his best ability neither.

Adam closed the distance between them and lifted her chin slightly until Blake could feel his breath on her lips.

"Then why don't we start with a kiss?"

* * *

Yay! Fluff!

I think that the next thing I will post will be one AU or another K or T rated drabble. The smut I will save it for later.

I hope you liked it, Karvost!

Frozenheart7


	18. Only three words

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Only three words

 **Summary:** Blake and Adam are involved in a romantic relationship but for their well-being they have to keep it a secret. Nevertheless, the White Fang headquarters of the Vale branch is small and soon problems appear.

 **Rating:** T for slight sexual content but mostly is fluff.

I'm working in interesting stuff.

 **P.S:** In one week the Adam Taurus character short will be released! Yay!

* * *

The alarm rang before the rays of sunshine could reach their closed eyes. The first one to wake up was Blake, who was used to get up before the alarm of the base could ring to wake up all the White Fang members. She had always been alone, used to have free liberty to do as she pleased. But today when the cat faunus tried to move from the bed, found two muscular arms trapping her petite body. She could feel one hand on the back of her head and the other on her waist. The temptation to keep clinging to his skin warmth was too strong for Blake to resist. So, she leaned her head into the crook of his neck and closed her eyes again. If she was with her mentor she couldn't be punished for a delay.

Adam still hadn't woken up. He was a light sleeper but since they had spent many passionate hours last night their bodies were still slightly tired. The couple stayed dormant past dawn, breaking the general rules of the base that said that all members must be up to take a shower, get breakfast and start with missions, training or whatever their duty is that day. When the bull faunus finally opened his eyes and saw his sleepy pupil in his arms a smile was drawn on his face. He finally had the object of his affection on his bed. And nothing could take that satisfaction from him.

Blake felt Adam's hands moving to her hips. He pulled her closer to his face and held her tighter. She pretended to still be asleep just to feel the caresses Adam was giving her. He was usually a cold person, very hard to open to anyone, his feelings hidden deep inside of him. He only showed affection in moments when he couldn't be judged by people. And if he knew that Blake was awake he would stop showing the need for her. She remained breathing on his cheek and ears as he kissed her forehead softly.

"You can stop pretending now, love." He suddenly broke the silence.

His husky voice and low tones crawled across the cat faunus' skin. As soon as his kisses stopped, the girl leaned back to face Adam.

"How did you know I was faking?" She asked him calmly, discreetly covering her naked back with the bedsheets, still too shy and inexperienced to be out of prejudices to enjoy her own body.

"You were shivering." Adam replied, putting one lock of her raven hair behind her human ear.

Blake couldn't help but react to every single touch Adam gave her. Even before becoming one last night, experiencing pleasures that Blake knew but had never tasted, she shivered with the unpurposed touched between pupil and mentor in training. Adam snickered and kissed her on the neck softly just to see her reaction. Blake sighed out of pleasure and when saw Adam's glance on her face her cheeks became red and she felt betrayed and teased just for the bull's amusement.

Blake just sat back on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest to cover her breasts. Adam instead, got up from the bed not caring much about his naked body. He walked to the bathroom watching by the corner of his eye how the cat faunus blushed even more and closed her eyes shyly. Once Adam closed the door of the bathroom, Blake quickly got up and collected her clothes from the floor to avoid any uncomfortable scene in the bull's presence, who was ashamed of nothing and liked to tease her.

When Adam came out of the bathroom he had already taken a shower and had a white towel wrapped around his waist. He found Blake combing her hair and massaging her skin to try and erase a purple bite mark on her chest. She gave up when nothing worked and finally covered the love mark with her black scarf.

"You should leave." Adam said, opening the closet to take out clean clothes for the day.

"I understand, you need privacy." The cat faunus replied, leaving everything in its place. Little does she know that Adam wasn't asking her to leave just to change clothes…

"No, it's better if the others don't see us together." Taurus explained better while putting on his red sleeveless shirt. As if they were talking about the weather...

"But we are… together." Blake insisted, being so naive that didn't understand the situation and her position.

"You are welcome here every night if you want, my darling." Adam replied coldly.

"I thought there was an 'us'. Not only sex." Blake now got up from the couch and stared at Adam's back as he put on his mask. She hoped that her feelings could reach him despite the plastic White Fang mask.

"If I only wanted sex I wouldn't have chosen you." Blake now was hurt by his words. Wasn't she worth enough to spend a night with? "Understand my position, I'm your mentor. We aren't supposed to be together at all."

Adam walked towards his beautiful apprentice and wiped away her worries by putting his hand on her soft cheek. She immediately cupped his hand to lean in the contact.

"So we are keeping this as a secret?" She asked.

"Only temporarily." But not even Adam knew how he could make his relationship with his student public without a scandal or breaking the strict rules of the base.

"Promise me I'm not just your mate for this season." Blake's only worries were that Adam didn't feel anything towards her but she never mentioned feelings because Adam never talked about his own.

"Blake, I'm risking my career just to be with you. Does that mean nothing to you?" The bull faunus asked once more, not understanding what his pupil wanted to hear so much.

* * *

Hiding something that meant so much for Blake was difficult, more complicated than she expected. After one final kiss, she left the collective dining room to eat something for breakfast but she didn't arrive on time. After all, they had missed the alarm. The cat faunus changed her mind, not very hungry, and decided that the time she had left to be free would be used to take a shower.

As she collected all the necessary to take a shower her thoughts kept her busy. She believed Adam when he promised her that he wasn't just using her to satisfy his faunus instincts. What they had done last night was a firm reason to expel both of them. Adam would lose his job and Blake would lose her home and Adam.

The cat faunus arrived at the collective showers, where the lower rank members must shower. Adam was a tenant so he had a bigger bedroom and his own bathroom, but trainees like Blake had a small, normally shared room, and little privacy. Blake entered in the female shower space knowing that she wouldn't be alone. She left her things in her assigned locker got naked and let her clothes inside, taking with her the towel, soap, and shampoo.

The cat faunus avoided eye contact with another faunus, that at first, she didn't recognize, to avoid unnecessary attention. She walked to the opposite shower and let the water run, first waiting for it to be warm and then letting it soak her skin. Once her hair was wet, she took the shampoo to start rubbing her scalp, carefully trying not to let it sneak inside her cat ears to avoid a catastrophe.

"I didn't see you during breakfast." Suddenly the other faunus in the showers commented.

Blake turned, wiping off her face the soap that was falling from her dark hair, to face the other faunus. By her reddish hair, Blake could already tell that Amitola, a trainee of her same rank, was the one talking to her.

"Good morning to you too, Ilia." Blake replied calmly while her head started burning trying to think of a better excuse than 'I overslept'. Nobody was so innocent to believe that the strict and perfect trainee would commit such a mistake. And less being used to the daily routine in the base.

"What happened to you?!" The chameleon faunus said while staring at her back.

Blake's eyes opened wide, realizing that the neck wasn't the only place where Adam had bitten last night. The cat faunus had to resist the temptation to turn around a look how bad the bite marks looked. Instead, she turned to face Ilia as she grabbed the soap to massage her skin, cover more bruises and get out of there as soon as she could.

"I went to train with Adam in the Forest last night. I ended hurt and he told me that I could sleep an hour more this morning." Blake lied, saying the first thing that crossed her mind.

Ilia seemed to believe the first part of it. Pupils and mentors did that kind of special training. Strength, velocity, and resistance were worked in the base's gym during collective training. Survival skills and combat were a thing that mentors taught their students.

"That seems too much generous for Adam." Of course, it seemed Adam was the most strict mentor in the Vale branch. He also trained higher rank members and the lower ones could see how he made then sweat in the collective training. No rest, mercy or compassion.

"I don't know… I think I'm his favorite pupil." Blake added. If she didn't hide the special bond between her and Adam, it was more difficult for the other to suspect. Somebody who hid a relationship wouldn't admit in front of the others that they did like their partner.

Ilia stayed silent as she rubbed her body with soap. Blake let the water wipe away the shampoo on her hair. She was starting to be hungry. Surely she could sneak later in the kitchen and grab leftovers from the breakfast.

"What will you do next?" Ilia asked, grabbing her towel from the hanger and wrapping it around her body.

"Gym. I need to stretch and work on my resistance."

"I'm heading there too." When Blake heard that, she hurried and wiper the soap off her body and hair.

"Then wait for me." The cat faunus insisted, grabbing the towel to dry her body and get dressed for a hard day.

* * *

Adam wasn't only Blake's mentor. He also was the coach of several groups of faunus in a higher rank. He trained them once a day to keep them fit and in shape. They had just finished a sparring session in pairs, in turns sharing the boxing arena to see who was the strongest of the group. Taurus' yells could be heard all around the gym, scaring the other trainees as he was especially strict with groups of strong potential fighters.

Ilia changed colors accidentally when heard the bull faunus' rage. Blake snickered and couldn't help but blush slightly. Even before entering the gym they had heard the strict coach yelling at its trainees.

"How many times do I have to repeat myself?! Kick upwards to hit the jaw!" The two friends heard Adam yell in top of the boxing arena, two of his trainees just finishing their sparring session.

"There's nobody stretching, let's go over there." Blake said, pointing beside the boxing arena. And it was empty indeed because Adam scared everybody and nobody dared to exercise too close to him.

"If he likes you so much then I guess he won't care." Ilia teased.

"He won't tell us to leave." Blake sentenced.

The two friends grabbed a blue rubber mat to lean in while stretching and walked to the end of the enormous gym. During the morning the trainees that were with their mentors spent the time outside the base and the others trained individually or collectively, depending on the rank, in the gym. The White Fang Vale branch wasn't as big as the one in Menagerie or Mistral because Vale was smaller than the other reigns and not a lot of faunus decided to travel to the kingdom. Although they still had a lot of work, especially hijacking the trains of the Schnee Dust company that passed by the rails on the Forever Fall forest, where the White Fang base was located too.

Blake and Ilia laid beside the boxing arena, leaving a safe space in case Taurus decided to throw any of his students over the ring. Leaning on their rubber mats, the faunus started stretching, not even noticed by Adam who was scolding Yuma, a bat faunus, one of the most problematic he had. Adam had talked about him a lot to Blake and mentioned how he aspired to be like Adam but had no discipline to ever accomplish his same rank.

"He really doesn't treat you like the others, does he?" Ilia asked, seeing the monumental rage of the bull faunus as the other trainees trembled. Blake just smirked satisfied.

She kept stretching and doing her duty at the gym as a good trainee but when she noticed Adam glancing discreetly at her behind his mask, she couldn't help but be a temptation for Taurus. With her legs straight and arms on the floor, Blake lifted her torso and hips to give Taurus a better sight of what he was missing while pretending that they weren't mating. She didn't even look at him and knew that his eyes were all over her body. A few seconds later, Blake heard her mentor announce:

"One minute to rest!" And all his trainees sighed in relief.

Ilia looked behind Blake and saw the bull faunus coming towards them. She tried to warn her friend but Belladonna seemed very aware of what she was doing. Blake's cat ears twitched when heard Adam's footsteps stopped as he kneeled and her body trembled when his hands were placed on her waist.

"You're doing it wrong, Belladonna." Taurus sighed and placed correctly her hips. "I thought you didn't need my assistance for such novice exercises."

Ilia was awkward seeing her best friend and her mentor in such situation. She cleared her throat intentionally but the couple was clearly focused on another stuff.

"I'm a bit sore from yesterday's training." Blake said, only Adam capable of understanding to which nightly training she was referring to. So, the tenant turned to see his lazy trainees and yelled another order to have them occupied while he took care of his love.

"Trainees, ten minutes running around the boxing arena!" He ordered and heard his trainees sigh lazily but still obeying his orders.

The bull fell in temptation by his no more innocent pupil. At the beginning, she seemed so shy and mysterious but now he had revealed her true nature: a naughty creature who loved to test him.

"I need to check if it is serious." Taurus said, getting up and grabbing Blake's arm to help her get up. "Come with me, pupil."

Blake glanced at Ilia one last time before Taurus brought her inside a dusty cleaning room. Adam made sure to lock the door to avoid any curious glances entering in. When he turned saw Blake biting her lip, clearly in the mood to play for a while. The bull cornered her as she retroceded playfully. He approached her until their foreheads were touching. Belladonna took off Adam's mask roughly and clashed her lips with his brutally. The bull faunus got a hold on the cat faunus' waist, lifted her to be at the same height and soon she wrapped her legs around his torso and arms around his neck. He moaned against her mouth, loving when his little pupil was dominant, something that happened not very often but he likewise enjoyed.

Belladonna put some space between them to breathe for a while but Adam didn't have compassion and put his lips on her neck, her most sensitive spot. The cat faunus pulled her mentor's reddish hair to stop the slow torture but that only encouraged him more to tease her.

"Are you feeling better now?" He asked between kisses.

"Adam… They will smell your scent on me." Blake warned.

The mentor ignored his pupil and continued the kisses descending down her body. From her chest to her breasts, letting her feet touch the ground for a while.

"My subordinates won't say a thing… they are too scared." Adam mocked and bit playfully Blake's belly skin.

"Technically I'm your subordinate too but I'm not scared." She sighed out a moan when Adam grabbed her rear roughly as a punishment for her insolence.

"You'll be brave enough to come to my room tonight?" Adam teased her.

Blake stared at Adam for a while as he caressed his back, keeping her close. She was still sore but wished to repeat what happened last night."

"Maybe…" She just replied mysteriously.

Blake approached her mouth to Adam's, half open letting his tongue explore her. But when the bull faunus wanted to kiss her, Blake got away from him teasingly. That angered the bull faunus and pinned her hands in the shelf. Now that she had no escape, Taurus approached her mouth and kissed her hungrily. He leaned into her each time closer, breathing her in, their bodies pressed against each other until…

"Careful!" Blake warned Adam while he kissed her neck, feeling how the shelf was about to fall.

Taurus immediately let go of Blake and kept her safe while the shelf broke and all the things on it fell to the floor. The bull faunus smiled while Blake covered her mouth in shame, knowing that the loud noise would have been heard all around the gym. And when they got out, all eyes would be on them.

* * *

That same night, as she teased, Blake sneaked through the hallways to visit Adam in his dorm. She had been preparing herself for another intense night, covering her lace underwear with a soft nightgown and carrying her training clothes for when she needed to get out of the dorm in the morning without being suspicious.

Being distracted while thinking in their next encounter, Blake accidentally collided with a fellow faunus. She muttered a 'sorry', but the male faunus got a grip on her wrist to stop her way.

"Where are you going at these hours?" Yuma asked, one of the members of the collective group that Adam trained.

Blake remembered Adam speaking about how ambitious Yuma, the bat faunus, was. He was obsessed with becoming lieutenant along with Adam but not to help him in the faunus rights fights, just to have the power over the other fellow faunus. Blake knew she had to be careful with him.

"The bathroom. Now if you excuse me I'll be on my way." Blake said, trying to get free from his grip.

Nevertheless, Yuma pulled her closer and cornered her between him and the wall.

"I can smell your mate's scent all over you." Yumma muttered and placed one finger on Blake's chest, separating the soft cloth that kept hidden her black lace underwear. A wide smile was drawn on Yuma's face when saw her sexy bra. "Are you going to pay 'him' a visit to release all your tension?"

Belladonna was done and being her relationship with Adam in danger, she closed her fist and punched Yuma's jaw hard. That was enough for him to release her and while he groaned in pain, Blake used her semblance to escape into the shadows, leading to Adam's dorm. She just hoped that Yuma didn't recognize Adam's scent.

Taurus was sitting in front of the desk of his room, reading a new letter from the High Leader giving some instructions to the Vale branch. But suddenly, his concentration vanished when heard his dorm's room closing and smelled Blake coming towards him. A few seconds later her arms were tangled around his neck and she placed a sweet kiss on his cheek.

"Care to wait for me on the bed? I'll be there in a second." Adam asked whispering.

Blake nodded and released her lover. While he was distracted with his papers, the cat faunus took off the nightgown to be only on her underwear to give Adam a nice surprise. She sank into the pillows and relaxing to calm her nerves waited for her mate to claim her.

Adam couldn't concentrate and after a minute left the letter on the desk and got up to head to the bed. When he turned around saw his beloved cat faunus had chosen an interesting clothing for that night.

"Come with me, Adam." Blake called him softly, holding out her hand to him.

Adam interlocked her fingers with his and kneeled on the bed beside her. But instead of climbing on top of her, he just laid on her chest to enjoy her company on his lonely night. Blake opened her eyes in surprise when saw that Adam wasn't demanding sex as she expected. He just was resting laying on her and holding tight. She caressed his red locks and horns carefully for his relax. As a response, Taurus held tighter onto her and breathed on her chest noticing that something was off…

"Who's this scent?" Adam asked frowning, trying to remember why it resulted so familiar.

"I stumbled upon Yuma on my way here…" Belladonna confessed.

Taurus sat on the bed, not in the mood for more loving caresses. He was upset that Blake hadn't told it when arrived here.

"Why has he touched you?" Adam growled.

"He got a little bit curious about where I was heading… I think he has smelled your scent on me." Blake replied, cat ears folded down and indecision on her voice. She didn't want to ruin their night just for that little incident.

Instead of getting angry, going in search for Yuma or leaving Blake alone in the dorm, Adam crawled on the bed, parted her legs and position himself on top of Blake, who was surprised of his reaction.

"I don't like the way he stares at you." Adam said, dangerously close to Blake's mouth. "So tell me I have nothing to worry about, that your body is for my eyes only, that your heart belongs to me."

Belladonna had never seen Adam so desperate in his existence. His eyes were pleading for her to speak and comfort him with soft words of love. His mouth was half-open desiring to take his lover until pleasure hits them both.

"I don't like him Adam… and you know that I love you." Blake calmed him.

'Come on, Adam. Say that you love me too. Just three words to erase my insecurities and give myself to you completely.' Blake pleaded inside of her head, wishing to be calmed by Adam as well.

But his response never came and instead he filled her mouth with his tongue and all Blake could do was holding onto him while he got rid of his pants, being afraid of losing him, that one day suddenly he treated her like everybody else.

She could feel how he joined her and he embraced her tight, letting her rest on his shoulder and kissing a few tears that escaped down her cheeks, thinking that they were for the physical pain and not for the words he had never pronounced.

* * *

The skies seemed grey lately. The only intense color lately had been the red leaves of the Forever Fall forest. That day Blake felt blue and instead of approaching Ilia and exercising together, she went to the treadmill with her earphones to avoid socializing during the day. Ignoring Ilia, Adam, Yuma and her brothers and sisters of the White Fang.

Adam noticed his pupil walking beside the ring to go to the machines, something she rarely used to exercise because she enjoyed more running in the forest and not caught inside a gym. But what worried him most was her disappointment glance she gave him when passed by. Taurus had no idea what he had done wrong. Last night they mated and she didn't complain but cried. He thought that it was because she wasn't used of having him inside but now could see it was something else that troubled his pupil.

"Women sometimes are complicated." Yuma said beside Adam who didn't even notice him approaching.

"Return to your training, brother Yuma." Taurus warned.

"If she is not happy with her current mate she could always come to me." The bat faunus teased his trainer, seeing how he clenched his fists unconsciously while thinking of Blake in somebody else's hands.

"You are crossing a line, Yuma." Taurus warned again, facing his subordinate.

"Me? You are the one breaking the rules by having your pupil in your bed." Yuma replied.

Suddenly Adam grabbed the collar of Yuma's uniform and thrown him to the floor brutally, his wings stopping the hard hit against the ground. Yuma stood on the floor triumphantly as if nothing happened and Taurus ran towards him with all his rage due to his words. The two faunus soon were fighting against each other, trying to pin each other to the floor to test who was a true leader and alpha.

Belladonna noticed the fight on the ring when all the other faunus left to see what was happening. She opened her eyes in fear when saw Adam succeeding in defeating Yuma and wanting to continue the fight. Blake left her earphones on the running machine and rushed towards the ring, trying to pass between the crowd of faunus cheering the two males. Blake couldn't help but feel awfully guilty for what was happening. Adam was the leader of all that people and if he wasn't the one stopping the fight Blake would have to.

"Stop!" She yelled but was silenced by the other's cheers. They had never seen Taurus in action and everyone was excited to see how that fight was going to end. "Adam!"

"Blake!" Ilia replied, being on the first line. The cat faunus made her way to her friend. "I'll help you climb."

Ilia kneeled down and Blake put her feet on her hands. Amitola impulsed Blake up to the nets of the boxing arena and the cat faunus managed to climb them and step the same floor where Yuma was laying and Adan kneeled, his fist in the air to punch the bat faunus.

"Enough!" Blake yelled, capturing her lover's fist in her hand.

But Adam tried to punch his subordinate even though he made Blake kneel due to his strength. Not even Blake calmed Adam's rage so she decided to hit him with all her strength on the cheek.

Blake's slap made Adam react. He let his fist down and turned her head to face the cat faunus whose eyes were watering.

"What were you thinking?!" Belladonna yelled.

"Blake." Taurus sighed, suddenly realizing his situation and how Yuma was bleeding.

Adam tried to reach for Blake's hand but she used her semblance to avoid him and get down from the boxing arena. The bull faunus ignored Yuma's partners checking his state and the crowd staring at them and ran after his pupil, who went into the hallways. Taurus rushed behind her until he was able to grab her and make her stop.

"Blake! Talk to me!" Adam begged. "I know I lost control…"

The cat faunus turned to face her mentor and lover. She tried hard to fight some tears that wanted to escape her eyes.

"What else do you want from me?! I give you everything you want: my body and my love!" Belladonna yelled at him clearly altered.

"Blake, my darling…" Adam tried to calm her, but how could he if a few seconds ago he was hitting his subordinate uncontrollably?

"Leave me alone, Adam!" Blake yelled, breaking into crying and using her semblance to run away, what she knew to do best.

Taurus decided to obey her and not go after her. She needed time to clear her mind and he had a lot of things to solve back in the gym with his apprentices and his brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, when Adam turned to attend to his duties as a tenant, he found Amitola who had seen their argument.

"How can you not notice something so obvious?" The chameleon faunus said to herself.

"What is so obvious? Do you know what troubles Blake?" Taurus demanded an answer.

"We may be faunus and have mating instincts, but we are part human too and we also need to feel loved not only satisfy ourselves." Ilia replied, leaving to let the bull faunus think about his faults.

* * *

The next day in the morning Adam had his training with Blake scheduled but she didn't appear. Taurus had been waiting for half an hour and when got tired returned to the headquarter and searched for Blake in her room, in the gym, the dining room… but she was nowhere to be found. Belladonna really knew how to disappear when she didn't want to be found. Nevertheless, Taurus was so desperate that as a last resource went to Blake's best friend, Ilia, who seemed to have answers about Blake's behavior.

"Maybe you'll find her on her favorite spot to at sundown." Ilia told him. "But I'm not telling you where it is located."

Taurus internally made fun of the chameleon faunus and gave her a polite thanks. Of course he knew Blake's secret spot on the Forever Fall forest. One time he brought Adam there to chill during the afternoon. It was under the tall tree, near to an isolated hill from where the sea and the sundown could be seen. The bull faunus returned to Blake's dorm and saw that there were some books missing on the shelves. She should have gone there to spend the whole day alone reading. But he would go to find her.

Making a quick trip to his own dorm, Adam grabbed Wilt and Blush for his own protection if some Grimm decided to appear on his way. Without giving any explanation to his subordinates and not even worrying about his training seasons in the afternoon, Adam left the headquarter and sank into the wildness of the Forever Fall forest.

As Adam walked, he thought about his feelings for Blake, his life… He didn't like to show affection and seeing Blake every night hid his lack of love somehow. Being with her during the nights was enough because he wasn't used to be loved, but Blake was very different from him and she wasn't satisfied with only sleeping with him. She wanted more and though she felt selfish for it, Adam couldn't blame her. She grew up with a family without misery, loved by everybody and now that she left them all for being with Adam she expected some retribution to compensate her for what she left behind. Taurus should have noticed her coldness last night in their bed and instead of claiming her should have hugged, kissed and whispered love words. But he only noticed it when their relationship was in danger and when Blake had crossed a line and disappear. He didn't want her to run away from him so he was willing to do whatever she asked him. Because without her, he wouldn't be the same, his strength would weaken, he wouldn't have a light in the shadows.

The bull faunus arrived at the hill, the sun descending behind the red landscape, creating beautiful seas of orange light in the sky. The dark silhouette of his lover was standing there, distracted watching the sunset. Adam silently climbed up the hill and left his weapon under the tree right beside Gambol Shroud and Blake's books were resting.

Blake's cat ears perked, she had noticed him but still said nothing. Adam just sat close beside her, staring at her tired factions. She seemed even more tired than when they spent a night together.

"Blake, my darling…" Adam started but was silenced once her golden glance met his. There was pain stained on her. "I know you had some expectations about our relationship and it may have seemed that I only craved you at night but that's not true."

Belladonna stayed silent for a few seconds thinking about her response. She didn't want to fight with Adam and end their relationship. But she wanted to make things clear between them.

"I understand that we need to keep everything as a secret, Adam." Blake sighed. "But I want to feel loved, not only desired."

Their nights together were amazing. They pleased each other and were happy with it but Blake needed another kind of attention too. An attention that Adam was never given until he found her and that he didn't know how to give. She needed to be taken care of and hear that she was loved.

"I'm not good at expressing my feelings… not with words." Adam replied, holding Blake's hand warmly. "So if you allow me I'll show you how much I love you."

Blake had heard his words well. He was talking about his feelings, his love for her and also he implied a quantity. She let Adam stay on top of her as she laid down to rest in the grass. He laid forward and Blake opened her mouth for him. They deepened the kiss as the bull faunus started to caress her curves and embrace her warmth. She welcomed him and Adam gave all his love to his lover, whispering just three words on her ear.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Krystal501:** Thanks, dear reader! Actually, the Beauty and the Beast Tauradonna version is on my to-do list. I'm also working in an adaptation of a scene in the actual RWBY world too. We'll see what I can post first. Thanks for reading!

 **Osheana259:** That's an interesting petition. I'm sure I can mix some comedy and fluff to create a drabble. I'll be thinking about it.

 **NyanCat:** The next one is smutty, but I still haven't finished the third part of the smutty kinky series. But if you like the smutty series you'll like the next one. (Actually, it is the Guest petition below on the reviews).

 **Karvost:** Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked all the fluff and I hope you enjoy the tender moments on this drabble as well. If you have another petition I'm open for requests. Read you soon!

 **Guest:** Working on it! Expect it soon!

 **emmaleewhittaker & ****merendinoemiliano:** Thank you both! This wasn't pure fluff but I tried to make it as canon as possible and not OOC.

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, and the hiatus will be too long to not have RWBY shipping material! But luckily the Adam character short will contain a Tauradonna scene... I'm dying to see it!

Frozenheart7


	19. Promise fulfilled

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Promise fulfilled

 **Rating:** M for language, violence, abuse, torture, dub-con and explicit sexual content.

 **Summary:** [Guest petition] Adam succeeds and his plan works, having his love just for him at last. But he won't forgive her until she suffers like he did. And she won't love him back… ever.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Nice to see you again! I hope you also enjoyed the Adam trailer. I'm working on all requests equally and eventually, I'll have the Adam Xiao Long drabble ready. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the drabbles I'll be posting.

 **emaleewhittaker:** Hey sweetness! At the end of this drabble, I have written several options for the next drabble I will post. One of them is your mermaid AU you requested a while ago. I hope you vote for the one you prefer to read first and if you have another petition all requests are welcome.

 **Guest:** Of course, I have never done something like a future tauradonna with a family and a house. I was never fond of this AU but I will write something we all will like (at least I hope so):

 **Guest:** Well, if you need more fluff you can vote one of the options at the end of the new chapter so the next drabble published is fluffy. I'm very glad you enjoyed the drabble!

* * *

Blake tried to move, to reach the lamp on the bedside table to hit her captor, but the only thing she achieved was to make the chains clash between them. His hands parted her legs and all the cat faunus could do was close her eyes and resist the slow torture that Adam was going to begin. This time he wouldn't win.

"Will you let me fuck you?" Taurus asked, his fingers teasingly stimulating her wet folds.

"No!" Blake yelled, trying to close her legs unsuccessfully.

Adam snickered at his prisoner's failed intents to resist him. He couldn't help but love each torture session more than the other, always thinking in which ways Blake could see that she needed him. Those long sessions with him having her chained in the bed happened since the attack at the Belladonna's house. Taurus was really thankful of his old friend Ilia, Corsac, Fennec and the other members of the Menagerie branch. Thanks to their help Blake had nobody out there and her fate was spending her life beside Adam who would treat her as she was: a dirty traitor.

"Then I'm not going to until you scream and beg." Taurus replied to his kitty's defiance.

"Good luck with that." She said, always keeping her fiery spirit with her. Adam loving the fact that as harder it was to make her vow sweeter would be his victory.

Taurus roughly gripped his hand around her naked neck and got on his knees to face the cat faunus. She closed her eyes and tried to move her face away from his breath and resist the sneaky fingers on her center, using all her will to betray her body.

"You shouldn't fight so much, it would be so much better for you to just relax and enjoy." Adam mocked her.

Suddenly, Adam introduced one of his digits inside her, making her back arch slightly. He smiled when noticed the cat faunus' fingers nailing on the red bedsheets. Teasingly, he pumped in and out of her roughly curving his finger so it would rub a more sensitive spot inside of her. That made her groan and turn her head, her legs tensioned and jaw clenched.

"Are you enjoying this?" Adam teased her, remembering her defiant answers after she had submitted was satisfying after all.

"No! Stop!" Blake yelled, containing her moans.

He also loved to prove her wrong, so his other hand traveled to her breasts and pinched her rose nipple. It was hard, as hard as his crotch.

"My love, your body is telling me something entirely different." He added more pressure to her nipple to see her struggling with herself.

"Fuck you!" Belladonna spat with hatred.

No, he would fuck her soon, obeying her desperate pleas. As a punishment, Adam fit a second finger inside of her and mimicked the constant movement that would send her over the edge. Blake yelled for the roughness of Adam's movements. She earned it all by herself after all.

His thumb slowly started rubbing her clit in circles and his mouth started a path of kisses from her neck to the chest. First, a harsh bite on her jaw then sucked on her neck's skin and afterward descended to her breasts, giving them the necessary attention using his tongue to stimulate her nipples. Adam didn't know who was enjoying this more, surely he, the mere sound of the chains with each movement Blake made drove him crazy.

"Stop, please." Belladonna begged, trying to convince her body by saying her thoughts out loud. "Don't do this…" But her begs were each time weaker and she feared to fall into her captor's trap.

Taurus smiled satisfied and deepened the thrusts in her sex. He faced her and saw her golden eyes crystallizing, a sign that she was about to orgasm.

"Enough, my love." Adam sentenced, retiring his hands and mouth from her body.

He stayed on top of her to watch her expression. He would deny her all orgasms until she begged for him to fuck her good. And then he wouldn't stop until he was satisfied. Blake clenched her teeth together and tried to rub her thighs together for some friction but the chains didn't allow her. Taurus contemplated her weak body trying to reach the so denied orgasm. The torture was just getting started and he wouldn't stop until she yelled his name.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" Adam asked her, placing her long locks behind her ears to watch all expressions. "That's how I felt when I lost you and I was about to reach for you again…" Adam had to stop speaking, he was losing control over rage again. He had her now, there was no need to remember all the pain she caused him.

"This isn't going to solve anything!" Blake said at the edge of crying.

"You're right, love." He caressed her face. "But it really makes me feel better."

Adam crawled backward and kept her legs spread. He sank his face in her inner thighs and bit hard to leave some marks and enjoy the cat faunus' pain screams. That made him forget his sorrow and reminded her that she was the one in control. If he was sad, he would be too, if he was angry, he would upset her and if he died, she would die too.

"No…" She whispered once Adam's mouth moved from her thighs to her sex, his tongue stimulating each of her folds and moisturizing the area to be rougher and more efficient.

He nailed one finger on her entrance, teasingly going in and out as he licked her. Then with one rough push introduced it entirely. With his tongue he continued stimulating the exterior part of her sex while his finger searched for her G-spot, successfully reaching it once he felt her tightening around his finger.

"Mmm… right here is the spot, isn't it? I will give it lots of attention." He snickered while seeing the cat faunus painfully closing her eyes.

Her begs were now silenced, that meant that he was a step closer to her submission.

Taurus lifted her hips to have a better access and while he licked her wet folds two fingers returned to the labor pumping in and out until the sound of her juices was too audible and that announced that she was about to cum.

"No!" Blake groaned.

"No what?!" Adam said, expecting a beg as an answer.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled out of anger once he stopped the stimulation, interrupting the next orgasm.

Adam got up from the bed to watch her struggle, in rage tightening the chains and trying to get free. He caressed the bulge on his underwear, his cock was throbbing for her, it was torture for both of them. But Blake was the only person that could turn him on so hard, and sometimes it was hard to resist.

"Do you want to make a deal?" Taurus asked.

"What?" Blake didn't say no, that was a step closer to submission.

"Please me and the torture will stop." Taurus tried to negotiate, sliding down his underwear to show the cat faunus how hard he was for her.

"No." Blake sentenced, wondering how many orgasms had he planned to deny her until he let her cum.

"As if I needed your consent…" Adam replied angrily and approached her face.

He roughly grabbed her black hair and made her lean forward. Taurus rubbed his cock against Blake's lips that she refused to open for his pleasure.

"You know you'll only obtain pleasure from my cock, right?" He tried to negotiate again, but she was stubborn and didn't open her mouth for him.

Adam gave up and let go of Blake's hair to move between her legs again. He wanted to cum and he would. He'd still get hard again and last a big amount of time during the torture. The cat faunus watched closely each of his movements and how he kneeled between her legs. Then he started rubbing his cock between her wet folds, not penetrating her. He wouldn't until she begged.

"Yes…" He growled, sliding up and down her sex, occasionally rubbing her clit and making her kitty moan.

It was now torture for both of them. Blake had been denied the orgasms so each time she lasted less to almost reach one and Adam had been so hard since that afternoon while planning the torture that he felt that way he wouldn't last.

"No! Don't…" He heard Blake mutter, not knowing if he meant him or herself.

Her back arched and that meant that he was at the edge of the climax. Adam stopped sliding his cock to deny her a third orgasm and continued by himself with his hands, being even more turned on by the cat faunus' frustration.

"I won't waste my cum uselessly…" Adam said, feeling his cock throbbing.

Taurus stopped too and moved to the head of the bed to grab Blake's neck. He made her face his hard sex and tried to push it between her lips.

"Open your mouth!" He ordered.

But Belladonna didn't obey so he had to start to strangle her and with his other hand tighten painfully on her cheeks in order to separate her clenched teeth. He succeeded, hurting the cat faunus enough to make her open her mouth. He kept her mouth opened and face fucked her as she tried to gag desperately while crying. He went hard on her, feeling her choking and having difficulties in breathing. Wanting to stop that oral torture, Blake used her tongue to swirl on Adam's top of his cock and made him cum sooner. Taurus noticed her tactic but didn't complain because he also wanted his own release.

"Take it all in, love." He ordered pushing deeper and feeling some liquid dripping down his cock to her mouth. His seed was scattered all inside her mouth and Adam sighed satisfied as he retired himself from her to see the drops of white cum on her red tongue. "Now swallow it all, I don't want any drop to be wasted."

The cat faunus obeyed and swallowed his seed down her throat.

"Good girl." Adam praised her, petting her cat ears as a reward. "Now, will you let me finish you too?"

"No." Blake continued, trying to sound firm after such humiliation.

"Fine." Adam said, glad that the torture could continue.

Positioning himself between her legs once more, he roughly pulled her hips towards him. Without mercy he sank his fingers inside of her, making her squeal when he started thrusting them inside and out. His mouth occasionally traveled to her clit and captured it between his teeth. Each time it was faster and less difficult to bring his kitty close to the climax and Adam expected her to not resist the next time he denied it. Her moans were betraying her and it only made his arousal grow.

Belladonna kept her mind busy to avoid coming, although Adam had that under control. She stared at the red walls around her, tried to unlock the chains from her limbs and imagined how would be crossing the door of her room, a permanent prison. When she had nothing else to look, Blake just closed her eyes and wished to be free.

"No!" She squealed when felt the fourth orgasm slipping out of her reach.

"Do you want me to finish you, hm?" Taurus asked once more.

Blake couldn't say no to it so she kept her mouth shut and shook her head to give him a negative answer. Adam was surprised that she was lasting so much, maybe the imprisonment enforced her will. His faunus instincts were making him want to take her again but Blake's didn't. Taurus was hard again and wanted another orgasm anyway.

"Let me go…" Belladonna asked uselessly.

"No, you are mine now and I'll do whatever I want to you." He said, grabbing his cock between his hands and stimulating himself while waiting for the cat faunus to cool down before continuing the torture.

"This time you won't succeed." Blake defied him, knowing that the torture was lasting more than as usual.

"Of course I will." Adam replied, pulling her down and opening her legs. "Just look at how I'm going to fill you up."

Adam kept masturbating with the tip of his cock on Blake's pussy hole, keeping in open for his cum. The cat faunus moved to get away from his grip but it only created friction between his cock and her sex. His arousal grew and grew and his precum started to stain her wet folds. He was fighting so hard to not thrust in her and finish them both right then. But that would make Blake the winner and he only wanted her to submit.

"Not inside!" Blake pleaded but Adam ignored her. He always did what he pleased.

The bull faunus kneeled on the bed when felt his cock throbbing and kept Blake's legs parted. He aimed at her hole and a few seconds later loads of cum filled her, sliding inside her womanhood. Adam let his cock rest for a while and stared at his kitty's sex. He licked the rests of cum that went outside her hole only to spit them back inside. Blake tried to kick him with her legs but Adam could stop her. He stared at her fiercely and slapped her clit as a punishment for her defiance. Blake whimpered and that made Adam's cycle start again, his cock beginning to harden.

Belladonna knew Adam could be like that forever, he could cum and be prepared for another round in a matter of time. And she could be tortured day by day… but that didn't mean she would surrender. His fingers inside of her were something she could resist and she didn't desire his cock either. The cat faunus decided that she would wait and wait until the bull faunus got tired. And then in her solitude, she would try to cum by rubbing herself with the bed or creating friction with her own legs.

"You aren't going to cum, are you?" Adam asked, tired of her being in control of her own body. "Maybe a little toy would help?"

"No!" Blake exclaimed, knowing what kind of toy he was referring to.

Taurus smiled satisfied, now he knew what would make her surrender. Adam walked towards the closet in the room and took out a wooden box. There he kept his lashes, whips, chains and other things that he used to torture his kitty. Then he revealed what he chose, a vibrator.

"Don't!" Blake yelled from the bed, seeing how Adam plugged it and started to buzz.

"Let's see if you can fight it, my love." Adam mocked returning to the bed with the vibrator in hand.

To tease her, he placed the vibrator on her nipples and pressed it hard against them as she started to struggle against the chains. Now Taurus had the victory almost guaranteed, it was enough with seeing her reaction. Soon she would beg for him to fuck her.

"No! Don't! Don't! No!" She yelled as the vibrator descended from her breasts to her pelvis.

"Yes, my love." Adam sentenced, placing now the vibrator above her clit.

Blake started groaning, her back arching and her hips bumping. He was delighted by seeing her fighting her own pleasure. He inserted a digit inside only to know when to turn off the vibrator. By his surprise, Belladonna was already starting to cum so he quickly retired the vibrations from her.

"Fuck!" She cursed, if he kept doing it eventually she would have to submit.

Adam didn't allow her a rest and left the vibrator a few centimeters separated from her clit. Blake lifted her hips to reach it and moaned in pure bliss.

"Do you want to cum, kitten?" Adam teased, starting to pump his fingers in and out.

"Yes!" She yelled, cursing herself now.

"You just have to ask." The bull faunus smiled.

But Belladonna forced herself to not speak and let another orgasm vanish as Adam retired the vibrator from her clit. She was so close to say it and Adam's cock was throbbing with anticipation.

"Beg!" Adam demanded turning on and off the vibrator but Blake still didn't say a word.

Taurus left the vibrator apart for a second and searched for her G-spot on her insides. His two fingers started rubbing it roughly and then he applied the vibrator on her clit for double stimulation. Her own juices were mixed with his cum and that only made the fingering more intense.

Blake was sweating, moaning like crazy, her legs trembling due to the stimulation and the tension. She wanted to finish so bad… She needed Adam…

"Please!" She exclaimed for Taurus' pleasure.

"Please what?" Adam asked, his eyes shining in anticipation.

"L-let me finish." She demanded as he turned off the vibrator and another orgasm was denied.

"You want me to fuck you good?" Adam asked with a wide smile.

"Yes… please." Blake whispered, but it was enough for the bull faunus. She was being humiliated and now he would torture her with his own cock.

This time Belladonna spread her legs for him and Adam gladly rubbed his cock against her wet entrance. Blake whispered another 'please' and Adam smacked himself inside of her in a sudden push. Blake yelled in pleasure and embraced Adam's back limitedly when he leaned forward to her. He thrust slow, teasingly to humiliate his captive.

"You are my little slut." Adam whispered to her. "Does my cock feel good?"

"Yes…" She replied, scratching Adam's back to hurt him someway as a payback.

Taurus felt Blake's walls tightening around his length. He thrust harder and harder until she mewled desperately but slowed down when felt another orgasm about to hit his kitten. He loved her when she was needy. So many hours of torture weren't worth for a few seconds of submission. He wanted to have fun for a while since now Blake would do and say anything for her release.

"A-Adam!" She whined.

Taurus slapped softly her cheek and grabbed her jaw to lift her head to have her neck vulnerable. He sucked on old wounds and wetly kissed Blake who tried to push his hips forward with her hands for him to penetrate her but couldn't reach them for the chains.

"What do you want, Blake?" He asked, wiping the thin layer of sweat off her face.

"You." She begged.

"Say it. Louder." He demanded.

"I want you, Adam! Make me cum!" Belladonna exclaimed.

Taurus thrust faster on the cat faunus, having a grip on her neck. He heard the wet sound of her insides as she started to cum, moaning loudly. Her walls tightened repeatedly around his cock and made the fast penetration even more intense.

"Yes!" Blake squealed once the climax hit her.

Belladonna soon was satisfied and didn't want Adam but let him finish anyway, not moving or complaining in any way. Taurus, seeing his weak cat faunus laying on the bed, wanted to hear her scream again but a punishment was not required so he grabbed the vibrator from the bedside table and rubbed it against her clit as he pumped in and out of her.

"Gods!" She mewled, surprised by the bull faunus' actions. She had passed the point of no return and she would take advantage of it.

"Cum for me again, Blake." He ordered.

Belladonna bit her lip and moved her hips to help Adam with his thrusts and create more friction. She closed her eyes and let the vibrations build a path to her next climax but suddenly Adam turned off the vibrator and kneeled backward, away from her reach.

"I want you to look at me." He demanded. "and don't fantasize." Adam growled angrily also trying not to cum so soon.

"Oh! Please, Adam!" Blake replied desperately.

Taurus obeyed her and placed her legs on his shoulders. He grabbed her hips and restart the thrusts, this time his hand replacing the vibrator. Belladonna couldn't resist so much stimulation and came hard around his length, a few drops of liquid ejaculating from her womanhood due to the intensity of the orgasm.

"Adam!" She yelled.

Now Adam focused on himself and thrust hard inside of her. The bed crackled due to the intensity and Blake's tired moans made him come hard. He filled her with his seed, growling like a wild animal. Then rested on top of her for a few seconds.

He caressed softly her hips and waist and kissed her cheek. Now that she was exhausted she wouldn't tell him to leave because she felt humiliated. He had achieved it again. Blake lost control over her own body just because her mating instincts made her want Adam. But she hated him deep in the soul and stared at him with hatred while he got dressed. She hated him, herself and everybody out there for not rescuing her. Adam was now a leader, she didn't know if her family was still alive and Sun neither… Blake wasn't even sure if she could count on her former team.

Taurus heard his kitten crying silently. He made eye contact but Blake turned her head away to hide the tears that couldn't help but fall. The bull faunus paced towards her to look at how miserable she was. His promise was fulfilled and he had Blake in his hands to do what he pleased. Only for compassion towards her, Adam released her wrists from the chains as she tried to bury her face and tears in her own hair. Once her hands were free she tried to curl laying on one side but her legs were still restrained. Taurus moved to her ankles and released one to still have her attached and not allow her to leave the bed. Blake immediately curled her leg up and laid still trying to control her trembling body and her cries. Taurus bent down to kiss her forehead and then moved to her cat ears to say:

"I told you. I always keep my promises." He whispered. "And I promise you that you will end up loving me again."

The bull faunus covered the naked body of his prisoner with the bedsheets. Due to her lack of words, Adam left. He had fun torturing her and she needed to rest. But he would come each day and claim his kitty in all wicked ways.

When Blake heard the sound of the door closing she breathed deep and started to whimper loudly. Both hands moved to her stomach, if Adam kept coming inside of her without any protection she would get pregnant eventually. Maybe it was what he wanted after all. Something to keep her chained to him forever.

"Never…" She promised herself in a weak thought.

* * *

This was pretty dark and to compensate this you have four options for the next drabble I will publish. Just tell me which one you'd like to read first and the one that has more votes or the first to be voted in case of a draw will be the chosen.

\- The mermaid AU Emma suggested like three months ago. (A really long drabble).

\- A short cute dorky drabble called: learning landing strategies with Adam.

\- The petition a guest made in the last drabble I make. It's called: His guilty little secret and it's about Blake not remembering what happened last night because of the alcohol and waking up naked beside Adam. There's a lot of fluff.

Vote for the one you'd like to read first.

And as you see, petitions requested a while ago are slowly being finished and will be published. Just be patient, I'm trying to alternate the drabbles I write so I can finish them sooner.

Frozenheart7


	20. His guilty little secret

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: His guilty little secret

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** [Request] Waking up naked in your partner's arms without remembering anything can be confusing. What did really happen last night?

In the vote I did at the end of the last chapter the third option won, everybody preferred it over the others so here it is. Next, I'll post the Merman AU and for last the short cute drabble "Learning landing strategies with Adam". For then I'll surely have more drabbles finished and I'll do another votation. Thank you for the amazing support I've been receiving to continue this drabble collection. It is sad to see the fandom inactive and even more inactive the Tauradonna activity. I'm dying to read more tauradonna but I have already read everything on Fanfiction, Archive of our own, Deviantart, Wattpad...

Well, here's the drabble request that you all voted for. Enjoy!

* * *

Blake had never felt so much warmth before. It wasn't hot, just a comforting layer protecting her from the early morning coldness. She embraced it and snuggled in the source that kept her warm and nice to continue sleeping some more. It made a heavy headache she was suffering be lighter.

She was now rested after last night's party. The whole headquarter celebrated it's branch leader's birthday: Adam, her mentor, and partner. Blake had to admit it, she had drunk too much and since it was her first time with alcohol the experience had been remarkable. She danced all night, music or not. When the party was over she accompanied Adam to his room to give him his birthday present… what was it that she bought him? She really didn't remember. Searching hard on her mind a single image appeared: her hands unbuttoning Adam's red shirt.

"No way… Where did this memory come from?" She thought to herself, trying to remember more but the sequence of images was just gone, she didn't remember anything else.

Then Blake realized that the soft heat waves that brushed her weren't thanks to the blankets. Blankets don't have arms wrapped around you.

"Oh no… Can it be that we…?" The cat faunus kept her thoughts running wild. "Okay, Blake, first open one eye and then the other to see in what mess you are involved."

Slowly, her eyelids moved and her amber eyes opened to analyze where was she. The first thing she saw was a silver watch on the bedside table. Then she remembered it: It was her present to Adam! That meant that she wasn't in her room but in Adam's.

"This isn't good…" Blake tried to move but those two arms around her didn't allow much movement. "Wait, I'm dressed or…?"

The cat faunus slowly lifted the bedsheets and sneaked inside only to see herself naked. Her mind panicked and slowly continued lifting the bedsheets to see her partner's state. She followed the trail of his arms that were around her to his waist, stopping when she saw that looking beyond his hips could result inappropriate. But wait… if she was naked, he was also naked and were sleeping in the same bed and she had memories of undressing him…

"By the gods!" Blake yelled, suddenly moving roughly and falling to the floor, still wrapped in the bedsheets.

Adam woke up by the sudden push of the blanket and saw his apprentice falling to the floor in panic. He rubbed his eyes and yawned as if nothing happened while Blake stared at him in shock. He had the mark of her lips tainted red in his forehead.

"What did we do last night?!" Blake yelled at him, not remembering anything due to the alcohol. "Why are we naked?! Did we-...?!"

"Don't you remember?" Taurus asked indifferently but amused deep inside.

"Just tell me! Did we... or not?!" Blake demanded, suddenly realizing all her clothes were on the floor.

Taurus snickered as Blake quickly picked her clothes from the floor. But before she could grab her cute floral underwear, Adam lifted it and examined the panties.

"Give that back!" Blake yelled again. Adam was sure the people at the headquarter would wake up due to her screams. She grabbed her underwear that Adam stole and got on her feet, looking around for some private place to get dressed, but there was none she could use.

"I have seen you naked before, Blake. Don't be shy." Taurus teased her, making the blush on her cheeks increase.

"Y-you! Tell me what happened between us! I can't remember anything!" Blake demanded.

Adam stayed silent for a few seconds, staring at the anxious cat faunus. She was so embarrassed that it resulted cute for Adam. It was hard to see Blake losing her temper or showing off her internal strong personality. And he was enjoying seeing her that way.

"I don't remember either." Adam finally replied. It was a lie. "But don't worry, Blake. What happened will be our little secret."

"No way!" She exclaimed, rubbing her temples trying to remember beyond the memory of her unbuttoning his shirt. "I- I need to clear things out."

Adam tried to get up from the bed but if he did, the blanket that covered his body wouldn't be there anymore and that would alarm his apprentice even more. So he had to let her run in panic outside his dorm with his bedsheets wrapped around her and her clothes in both hands.

Once he made sure that nobody could hear him, Adam laughed hard.

* * *

Ilia woke up by her best friend's hands shaking her. The chameleon faunus opened her eyes slightly and found Blake half dressed in their shared room, breathing roughly, almost crying.

"Blake?" Ilia asked in a hoarse voice.

"Ilia! I think I did something terrible!" Belladonna exclaimed, shaking her friend rougher.

"Wow! Hold on. I think I have a brutal hangover." Ilia said, trying to sit on the couch. She had also drunk more than necessary last night and both friends were now paying the consequences. "First of all, what are you doing in your underwear?"

"I slept with Adam." Blake confessed.

Ilia's eyes got open in surprise. Her best friend and secret crush had spent the night with Adam… and Ilia like a fool let it happen without doing nothing.

"Did he take advantage of you?!" Amitola asked. She was furious with herself.

"No! I don't even know if we did it… He doesn't remember either." Belladonna explained. "I need to remember, help me, Ilia."

Ilia was glad that there was a small possibility that Adam hadn't claimed Blake. She needed to hurry if she wanted a chance with Blake. And this was the perfect occasion.

"We can try and recreate what happened, maybe then you'll be able to fill the gaps." Amitola proposed.

Blake didn't complain and nodded. She wasn't sure if it would work but didn't have any other idea so it was better to start with Ilia's plan. She wasn't sure neither that Blake remembered enough to make a realistic simulation but it was worth trying.

"We entered his room, I gave him a watch as a present and then suddenly I was touching his chest and unbuttoning his shirt..." Belladonna explained everything she remembered.

"Okay, slow down." Amitola got up from the bed and made Blake stand before her. She made her place her hands on her chest gently grabbing her wrists. Then embraced her waist and pulled her towards her. She cleared her throat and spoke:

"Blake you shouldn't drink or cat-astrophies will happen." Ilia joked, imitating Taurus' deep voice.

"This is not helping, Ilia." Blake warned, not even offended by her racist pun. "Let's try moving to the bed."

The cat faunus let her friend make her lay on the couch. Ilia kneeled on the bed and bent down to face her friend. She tried to hide the blush and brushed Blake's hair out of her face.

"I'm not sure if Adam is more the soft or the rough type in bed." Amitola said, too uncomfortable to continue the sweet caresses that made her heart want to burst.

"Rough definitely." Belladonna replied, she didn't see Adam as a soft vanilla lover.

"Then let's go rough, shall we?" Ilia asked, making Blake hesitate for a moment.

The chameleon faunus pinned Blake's wrists on the couch above her head. Her mouth went to one of Blake's cat ears and made kissy noises to try and trigger her memory but Blake seemed too uncomfortable to concentrate.

"You should close your eyes." Ilia recommended, that way she would feel more secure about their situation and would truly enjoy touching her crush's body.

Luckily, Belladonna obeyed and closed her eyes while sighing deeply. That gave Ilia more liberty and slowly slid down her hands from her wrists to caress her soft arms. She was willing to take advantage of the opportunity. The kissing sound actually became kisses as she dared to kiss Blake's scalp, then her ears and finally her cheek. With her hands, Ilia could notice how Blake was shivering. Could it be that she liked her caresses? Ilia wondered what would happen if she told Blake what she felt for her.

"I-Ilia." Blake sighed, noticing her friend's lips closer to her mouth.

But instead of actually kissing Blake's lips, Ilia went down to her neck to see if the cat faunus would be turned on by her wet kisses.

"I'll make you purr like a little kitten." Ilia said, this time without imitating Adam's voice.

Ilia felt Blake's fingers nail on her back as her legs parted. She was enjoying herself too much to the point that she moaned with each of Amitola's kisses.

"Oh, Blake…" Ilia moaned as Blake caressed her back.

"What the hell are you doing?!" A male voice yelled from the hallway.

Both were too immersed in the situation that didn't notice the intruder that had been spying on them for a while. Enough time to see what the roommates were up to… And to listen to what they said about him. Ilia immediately sat beside Blake and covered her face with a pillow to hide the pink spots on her cheeks. If Blake knew…

"Adam!" Ilia heard Blake call him. "S-since when have you been-..."

"Enough." Adam sentenced. "Can't you just accept that what happened can't be changed?"

"So you do remember what happened! Why won't you tell me?" Blake exclaimed offended.

Adam didn't reply and smirked. Before the cat faunus could get up and catch him, Adam closed the door of the room and left. Taurus knew something he didn't want her to know. And she was going to find it out soon.

* * *

Adam arrived at their shared dorm after training a group of trainees. For his surprise, Blake was also there, locked in their bathroom. The bull faunus silently put his ear on the door and tried to hear if she was showering but all he heard was her coughing roughly.

Blake heard two strong knocks at the door of the bathroom:

"Blake, are you feeling bad?" Taurus asked concerned.

"Give me a minute." Blake said in a strange voice.

Adam sighed and left his weapon and jacket on the closet. He waited for Blake sitting on the couch but when the door got open he immediately went to help his partner.

"Blake?! What's wrong?" He asked worried, holding her arms.

Blake had a few locks of hair stuck to her face due to the sweat. She was trembling and her eyes were red, she seemed as if she had a high fever.

"I vomited." Blake confessed.

"Do you want to lay down for a while?" She nodded and Adam lifted her to leave her on the bed. "Do you need a blanket?"

"I need to talk to you." Blake said, sitting on the couch and whipping her hair off her face.

Adam sat beside her and looked into her eyes. Her state was weird. If it were for the alcohol she would have had the symptoms of the hangover in the morning, not that afternoon. Maybe she had received a shocking letter from Menagerie written by her parents. Blake was clearly upset and not feeling well and Adam felt like he had to do whatever in his hand to help his pupil. She was under his care, after all, she was his responsibility.

"A-Adam." Blake tried to start but some tears fell from her eyes. Adam handed her a tissue and she cleaned her face. Once her breath was stable again she continued: "I think you got me pregnant."

Belladonna immediately started to cry loudly, covering her face with both hands ashamed. Adam would have laughed due to the stupid thing she just said but seeing Blake so childish and vulnerable alarmed him. She was always discreet and mature but now Blake was clearly scared and desperate thinking that the vomits were from a baby growing in her stomach and not a hangover. Besides, she couldn't know the same day that she was pregnant from something that supposedly happened a night ago.

"Blake… it's okay, you're not pregnant." Adam tried to comfort her, she needed to know the truth so the drama could end. "We just cuddled together because you said you were cold, we didn't have sex." And Taurus decided to tell what really happened that night to stop the suffering of his dear pupil.

* * *

 _Bumping into each other eventually, the two drunk friends managed to arrive at the dorm. None of them wasn't really sure if that was the correct door since they had accidentally pressed all the buttons in the elevator and all of the hallways and doors looked the same in the headquarter. Adam, who was more lucid than his novice pupil, managed to find the key to open his dorm and let Blake come in. The cat faunus wiped the sweat off her forehead and pretended to be sober but at the instant she tried to walk forward to enter, her heels made her trip. Luckily, Taurus managed to catch her arm and make her stay on her feet._

 _"Careful there, darling." Adam warned. Slowly trying to have enough balance for both, he guided Blake to the bed and made her sit down._

 _Once Adam had Blake secure, he closed the door of the dorm to keep away the sound of the music of the party that was continuing even without him. He left his jacket inside the closet and took off his gloves, leaving them on the bedside table. As soon as his skin was uncovered, Blake's curious hand touched his._

 _"Why do you wear gloves if your hands are always so cold?" She asked tilting her head and biting her lip. Adam was ashamed to admit it, but a drunk Blake was more social and confident and her expression was making his heart skip some beats._

 _"Bend over, Adam." She asked him once more. The bull faunus slowly approached his face to the cat faunus who was still sitting and she made him hurry bu grabbing his shirt and pulling towards her. For a moment he could feel the alcohol of her breath on his own lips but then she pulled him closer and felt her lips on her forehead. She stayed like that for a few seconds, leaving her lipstick mark on his skin and then released him. "Your head is burning, are you thinking too hard about something?"_

 _Even drunk, Blake was intelligent and a great observer. He had been thinking over the same topic for a while now indeed. He wouldn't tell her that she was the one occupying all his thoughts, at least not at that moment that she was drunk and maybe she would take a decision to regret later._

 _"It's just you driving me insane." Adam sighed and sat beside her to take off his shoes._

 _"You are very bossy and grumpy all the time, I should be the one complaining." Blake complained, holding his arm because she felt her head spinning. "I even got you a present."_

 _"Why? I don't need anything else." Deep down Adam knew Blake would give him a detail despite the collective present the subordinates gave him at the party._

 _"Because I love you Adam and I want you to have something to remind you of me." Taurus covered discreetly his face with his hands, pretending as if he were wiping the sweat off but that didn't even hide the red tonality her face was starting to get, comparing it almost with his hair. He just hoped Blake to be drunk enough to have a blurred sight and not notice that no matter what she did she was always messing inside his head. Without even trying but now that she was in an irrational state Adam didn't know if he could trust her words, being too drunk to hide the truth or to say the first silly thing that passed through her mind._

 _Belladonna made him uncover his face and lent him a black velvet box. Adam tried to stare at her eyes and figure out what she was thinking but seeing the sparkles of the amber so close to him left him without words. He had no other choice than to accept her gift and open it before she fainted, because her skin was paler than usual. He found a beautiful silver watch inside the present box. Blake had been saving some money from her monthly allowance to buy it and Adam admired how the watch matched his style. It seemed resistant so he could wear it during missions._

 _Before Adam could thank his pupil, she already laid down on the couch and closed her eyes._

 _"Blake? Are you feeling well?" He asked, deeply concerned. It was her first time drinking after all._

 _"I'm cold." She muttered, snuggling into the pillows._

 _Taurus noticed that he had left the window of his dorm open and the cold air of the night had sneaked in. He closed it firmly but the coldness was already on the room and Blake was also already on his bed. It was too late to make her return to her own dorm and it would be a horrible decision to get out of there being both drunk again or even worse, letting her go alone. Adam sat down on the bed and took off Blake's high heel shoes, carefully grabbing her ankles to unbuckle the stripes that tied the shoes to her feet. Leaving the shoes right beside his, he stared at how uncomfortable her tight dress was for sleeping._

 _"You can borrow one of my pajamas. Come on, get up and I'll let you sleep." Adam ordered, making Blake laugh confirming what she said before._

 _Adam had to lift her on his own and when he tried to leave her sitting to go and grab a big t-shirt for her, Blake wrapped her arms around his neck, trapping him._

 _"Stay with me, Adam." She whispered and got up helping herself with the stability of his shoulders._

 _Once they were face to face, Blake grabbed the neck of Adam's shirt and unbuttoned it clumsily. Taurus was too shocked to stop her and let the cat faunus undress him, having to help her with the last buttons. She threw the shirt to the floor and stared at Adam from below with that submissive glance that made him want to throw her into the bed and mark her. But he wouldn't touch her if she wasn't fully conscious and aware of what was happening. His sentence stayed firm even when she lifted her dress and left it on the floor along with their shoes and other clothes. Adam's eyes traveled down her body but his conscience made him stop half of his way down to her breasts. She stayed with her glance deep into his eyes and when she knew that it was hard for Adam to hold the glance up she sat down on the bed and covered her body with the blankets._

 _"Sleep, darling." Adam said after holding his breath for so long._

 _Blake's agitated breath soon became regular, a sign that she was entering a deep sleep. Adam's head was too blurry to control himself so instead of laying next to his pupil, he went to the bathroom and decided to take a shower to cool his instincts down and then return beside his pupil as he promised to cuddle together and keep her safe._

* * *

The cries stopped immediately. Blake retired the hands from her face and revealed a creepy smile.

"I knew it! You just wanted to mess with me!" Belladonna yelled, proud of her realistic acting.

Taurus needed a few seconds to realize that he had been tricked by his younger partner.

"I can't believe you." Adam finally said. "That was a very smart move, darling."

"Why didn't you want to tell me the truth, huh?" Belladonna asked.

Her memories triggered when Ilia was on top of her but she didn't say anything to know what was in Adam's mind. That night they went to his room and Blake gave him the present. But due to the open window the room was cold. She was too drunk to think straight and got on Adam's bed, covering herself with the blankets. When Taurus tried to help Blake take her shoes off, she pulled his shirt and begged for him to stay with her.

"I didn't know that the idea of sleeping with me was so awful to you." Adam avoided the question just to play with her just like she did with him.

"It's not awful. What upsets me is your attitude." Blake replied angrily.

Every time Blake got angry with him Adam enjoyed her cute face. Maybe, after all, he had lied to her just to make her react like that and squeeze her cheeks.

"What can I do to compensate you?" Taurus dared to ask, fearing her hyperactive reader mind.

"We are going to a fish buffet on Vale docks. And you will be paying for everything I eat." Belladonna sentenced, dreaming about the fish that she ate once in one of her trips to the human city.

"So, it's a date." Adam sentenced, grabbing his wallet. He was sure Blake would take advantage of the occasion. She didn't make a lot of trips to the city.

"Call it whatever you want, I just want to eat fish... And no drinks this time." Belladonna warned.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Guest:** Actually most of the drabbles I'm working on now have scenes with romantic dates. I'm working on one where Blake and Adam go to Menagerie docks to see the sunset and it will be pretty fluff. So don't worry that most of the long drabbles I work on and show tauradonna development will have romantic cute dates.

 **merendinoemiliano:** The fight scenes on the Adam Character Short were sick and now that Adam is confirmed to have a big paper in V6 I'm more than excited although I fear his character arch will be finished in this volume.

 **Gabby:** There will be more hot stuff on the future. Feel welcome to leave ideas in a review. Thank you for voting!

 **Guest:** Thanks for your vote!

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Be ready because the next one is the merman AU you requested a while ago. I think you'll love it because there will be a lot of fluff. Thanks for voting and always leaving a review, I really appreciate it.

 **Krystal501:** Thanks for voting! I'd like to hear your opinion about the drabble, did you like it! Thanks for reading!

 **NyanCat:** The number 3 has been posted and I hope you liked it. Thank you for voting and leaving a review!

Remember that I accept ideas and petitions for future drabbles, I love to read the readers and fellow shippers opinions. I'd like to hear which kind of content do you want or prefer: fluff, smut, romance... So I can guide my ideas for future drabbles. All reviews are welcome!

And for the other people who have other requests, patience. If I had given you my approval is that I'm working on them and eventually I will post them. Inspiration is complicated, and the hiatus will be too long to not have RWBY shipping material!


	21. Underwater and beyond

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Underwater and beyond

 **Summary:** [Emma's request: Merman AU] Menagerie's shores may be captivating but a secret threat lays hidden, another species: mermaids and mermen. Nevertheless, danger can't stop little Blake and she wanders in the beach until an unfortunate accident happens. What will happen when she wakes up in a merman clutches?

 **Author's Note:** This drabble contains _The little mermaid_ references. How many of them can you spot? Tell me in the reviews!

The song Blake sings is an adapted part of "Faded" by Alan Walker.

The song Adam sings is "Sleepsong" from Secret Garden.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Krystal501:** I guess Adam was on his boxers at the beginning of "His guilty little secret", but he just wanted to tease and make fun of Blake for a while (and deep down see how she reacted is she thought they had slept together). Believe me, there will be more tauradonna stories and drabbles coming for me.

 **NyanCat:** Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 **merendinoemiliano:** Hi! Don't worry, by 'cool' I meant to calm Adam's burning desires about Blake. 'Bad' can also be used as naughty or not well done. I'm from Spain and when I began to write and read English Fanfiction it was also hard for me to understand everything. Ciao!

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Thanks for your unconditional support, sweetie! I hope you like how your request has been written.

* * *

When I was little, Menagerie was like a paradise for me. The palm trees, the desert, the mountains, the jungle… but my favorite place had always been the beach. I used to spend hours and hours walking on the shore, hearing the relaxing sound of the waves and the seabirds, watching the moon rising.

But, one day, curiosity brought me too far.

I had decided to explore the rocks on the shore, where small caves could be found. I wasn't wearing comfortable shoes and I ended slipping with the water. I remember hitting my head really hard, the smell of the blood, the coldness of the water swallowing me and the salt entering in my lungs.

That was when I met him, the one who saved me from being drowned on the deep ocean, breathless and dead.

I woke up in a cave, a distinct cave. It had dust crystals on its walls so there was small light to guide my eyes on the darkness. I could hear a far chant, hypnotizing and magic. With only hearing it, my head stopped hurting. Obviously, I wasn't alone but I wasn't capable to find the person singing through the echoes of the cave. Someone seemed to live in that place because there were lost objects: mirrors, jewelry, coral, shells, and pearls. The most magnificent piece of the collection was indeed the mirror. It had the crystal fractured but I could still see myself on it. Then I noticed something behind me, better yet, someone on the shore of the cave, where the ocean started, the only exit of the cave.

I yelled scared, his chant stopped. He sank himself into the water and I could see a red fishtail splitting the water.

The one that saved me was a merman.

He appeared again, the human half of his body outside the water. He was big and older, had the body of a young man and his factions were charming. He had the hair red, deep red like his eyes. On his mouth, he had two affiliated fangs, similar to the ones vampires had. He lifted his muscular arm, offering me his palm.

"Come here, I won't hurt you." He said with his deep and melodic voice.

On the island, the merman were a thing. There were cases of faunus who were lost on the ocean and the cause were always mermaids and merman, monsters that eat human and faunus souls.

"G-go away! Where am I? I want to get out of here!"

"My name is Adam." He introduced himself, trying to calm me down."You were hurt so I brought you to my cave. I healed you."

I touched my forehead and I realized that he was right, there was no blood. I stared at the mirror and I couldn't see any wound.

"How did you do this?" I asked, there was no medicine that could heal that faster.

"It's a secret." He said. "What's your name?"

"Blake."

The merman smirked and crawled closer, his claws carving the sand. He sang my name and it was too late for me, I was hypnotized as he was calling me. I was acting like a puppet, walking towards him and kneeling before him, his face a few inches away from mine. Then he grabbed my wrist and the melody that controlled me stopped.

"Let me go!" I struggled, but he took me down, it was a young teen against and adult merman. "Don't eat my soul, please. I don't want to die."

I closed my eyes and began to cry, begging for some mercy but the situation of the preys on legends weren't favorable.

Then I heard him chuckle and sing:

"Don't be afraid, dear Blake. I won't harm you. I just wanted to hold you."

His claws wiped off my tears and he smelled me. Then he leaned his ear on my chest, hearing my heartbeats for a while.

"You have beautiful music inside." He said.

"Th-thanks… You sing well." I flattered frightened to say something that would annoy him.

He let go of my wrist and I was able to sit on the shore, the water caressing my legs. I was still frightened but he was just sitting, his tail waving up and down while staring at me. I did the same and as he had touched me before, I decided to do the same, caressing the scales of his red tail.

"I don't eat souls, don't worry. I just eat fish." He explained.

"Fish is my favorite food too… but mermaids and mermen eat souls." I complained.

"Not all of them. It's like being vegetarian, but not a lot of merfolks make the same decision." He grabbed my palm and started drawing circles. "The ones that decide not to hunt souls are excluded from the reign, that's why I live in this cave."

"You rather be alone than eat humans souls and live with a mermaid?

He chuckled.

"I dislike mermaids."

"Do you like mermen?"

"No." He replied.

"And what do you like? I doubt being alone."

"I like you."

My cheeks burned red and I saw how his smile grew wider, maybe because he was hearing how quick were my heartbeats.

"I have a family, I can't stay here with you."

His expression darkened and I felt bad for him. But then patted my head, between my cat ears and smiled for me, showing his sharp fangs.

"What a pity, I was considering keeping you for myself." He said. "If you hold onto my neck, I will swim you back to the beach."

Adam turned around, facing the exit of the cave, where the sea was waiting. I drowned my legs back into the water and I tangled my arms around his neck. I still couldn't believe that I had met a merman. A good one.

He stayed silent all the way to the beach, the trip wasn't too long either and I kept silent because I thought he would swim better without speaking to me. The sensation was relaxing, I had his tail waving below my legs and he was swimming more slowly than normal. Mermen were really fast swimming across the sea, but with me that felt like a relaxing trip around the coast of the island.

We arrived at the place where I was exploring the rocks, where I fell. He left me near the shore, in a place where I could stand on my feet and not drown. I let go of his shoulders and neck and returned to the sand but when I was about to leave something inside didn't let me. I turned and saw Adam staring at me with a strange expression on his face, his eyes more intense than ever, with a red glow inside of them.

I returned near the shore.

"I want to see you again." I said to him.

"I thought you would never say it." He confessed.

Then, he handed me a big seashell, it was as big as my hand and some kind of sparkling sound came from inside. Then I remembered that on Adam's cave there was one exactly like this one but bigger.

"When you want to see me again call my name through it and I will find you."

* * *

I was hesitant about calling Adam again but the curiosity made me dare to speak through the seashell. I called his name and an echo sounded from inside of it, the distant sparkling still present on the echo inside the shell. I stayed at the shore, I took off my shoes and hid them between the rocks while walking near the deep waters.

Suddenly, I felt something really quick swim near me. I observed the water and noticed that it was coming towards me. Two hands grabbed my waist and pulled me underwater. I tangled my arms around the waist of the merman of red scales and let him swim quickly to his cave.

We arrived in less than a minute otherwise I would have drowned. Adam placed me on the shore of the cave, making me sit there.

He stayed on the water, a foot away from me.

"You scared me!" I said between laughing out of nervousness and fun.

"I wanted to hear your music go faster than usual."

"The 'music' is my heart, and if you make it go too quick, I could die."

Adam swam closer and put his arms on the rock I was sitting in, his muscular thorax out of the water.

"I'm glad you are here, still alive." He said.

As a merman, his culture was different but those phrases made me laugh internally. He was awkward but at the same time cute and charming, but most important: attractive. Not only by his looks, for his ancient chants and melodic voice.

By the corner of my eye, I noticed something as red as Adam's hair. He extended his arm and a second later, I found that a cute little crab was climbing up his hand.

"This is my 'cavemate'." He said.

"Don't you eat crabs?" I asked curiously.

"Shhh… He is really sensitive to these topics."

I laughed hard, surprising Adam and scaring the little crab who hid near his neck.

"I'm sorry, I just found this hilarious."

"You didn't laugh when I first brought you here, also thinking I was going to eat you."

Technically yeah, but he was comparing me with a small crab that couldn't understand our language.

"That's true. Sorry, crabby."

"Crabby? I kinda like it, I think I will name him."

He approached the crab to my shoulders, where he got down and stayed for a while. Its little paws running up and down made me giggle.

"Is it a male or a female?"

Adam shrugged.

We ended laughing together, the little crab hiding inside the big seashell Adam had on the collection of lost objects.

"Why did you decide not to eat humans souls?" I asked before thinking about his diet.

Adam seemed to hesitate before answering my question.

"Because I met a human who made me change my mind about my nature."

I was afraid I was pushing him too much to tell me things he didn't want to talk about.

"Who was it?"

"A young one, a curious little girl who liked to explore Menagerie's beach."

"Do I know her?" I asked innocently.

"Yes." He stared at me for a long time, waiting for me to realize what he was trying to tell me. "It is you." He finally said.

"You have been observing me? Even before knowing me?" He nodded.

I kept silent, not knowing what to feel. Thinking about a merman watching me while I was fooling around the beach made me feel extremely embarrassed.

"Are you still scared?" He asked.

"No, not in the way you mean. It's just that you... I don't know why but… you make me feel a special thing something nobody else can." He smirked. "I will get used to it."

After that weird talk and that strange confession I made, Adam told me to hold him, that he would show me a special place. He brought me to a big rock on the sea, not very far from the coast. I could still see my house from it.

There, we watched the sunset, the magnificent sun rays disappearing behind the blue ocean. With the entrance of the night, Adam and I knew that I had to return to the coast with my parents.

Before I said something, he spoke:

"Do you think one day you could spend the night with me at the cave?"

My 'music', as he would say, beated faster. I was afraid but at the same time, I wanted to know him more, discover the sea world secrets, be his friend.

"I can. Expect me to call you tomorrow."

I didn't know why but that danger feeling made me want to be more with him. I barely knew him but I felt like with him I was safe, and something had us bounded together.

* * *

As I promised to him, the next day I was at the shore waiting for him with the seashell in hand. I had told my parents that some classmates had invited me to a slumber party so they won't be preoccupied. Adam arrived as fast as the other time, his red tail splashing in the water.

He stared at me before arriving at the shore.

"What's that for?" He asked pointing at the bag I was wearing on my back.

"It's to carry books, food, a pillow, and my pajamas." I said, remembering that I had wrapped the content in plastic bags so they won't get wet.

I hid my shoes on the rocks as I always did and then drowned in the water, letting Adam hold me as he swam. This time we went to the cave for the surface as he decided not to make my 'music' go to fast and swim slowly. Unconsciously, he started humming a beautiful melody which relaxed me and I ended embracing his back and almost sleeping as we arrived at the cave. When he stopped his chant, I opened my eyes. It was like entering in some sort of trance when he sang. I found myself in his cave once more.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

I nodded. The truth was that I had brought my own food and even some to share with Adam but I wanted to see what he had to offer me.

He disappeared inside the waters and I decided to take all the things I had brought out of the bag. I had even brought some objects for Adam's collection such as knives and forks. I placed the pillow and the blanket in one of the extremes of the cave, the nearest as possible as the water so I could be beside Adam. I didn't have any idea of how mermen did sleep so I improvised.

The sound of the water moving scared me for an instant. A big tuna appeared next to my feet. I stared at Adam who was carrying coral and a strange bottle with fire inside.

"What are you doing?"

"Dinner. I won't let my guest starve."

I sat on the rock, moving my feet on the water as I observed him making a fireplace with coral, it was enough with a drop of that mysterious flammable liquid that was inside the burning bottle. He called me and we cooked the fish. As it was fresh from the sea, it tasted a lot better than the one in Kuo Kuana's market.

"I have brought you this." I said showing him the knife and the fork. "You can keep it once we finish the dinner."

He examined the tools more carefully than before, that he was limited to just watch discreetly as we ate.

"There's a place reserved just for kitchen instruments there on the collection."

That's when I realized: How did he put all the things on his collection if it was out of the water?

He seemed to read my mind.

"It's a secret." He only replied.

"Don't tell me that Crabby does it." I joked, he chuckled.

I had only been a few days with him and the underwater world seemed fascinating. There was magic, these bottles with eternal fire, seashells to communicate with each other, chants that could hypnotize you… I wondered how much magic was he keeping from me?

"You should tell me one of your secrets." I insisted.

"Maybe one day, but in exchange I want you to sing to me." He demanded.

I wasn't much of a singer, but I like the idea of him referring to 'music' to my singing and not my racing heart.

"Deal." We agreed.

I placed the fork and the knife where he told me and then went to the sand, sitting beside him, the water caressing my legs and thorax. He went deeper into the water and with his elbows on the sand, expecting me to sing.

 _These shallow waters never met what I needed  
I'm letting go  
A deeper dive  
Eternal silence of the sea  
I'm breathing, alive.  
Where are you now?  
Under the bright but faded lights  
You set my heart on fire._

 _Where are you now?_  
 _Atlantis, under the sea._  
 _Another dream_  
 _The monster's running wild inside of me_

 _So lost, I'm faded_

Adam was expecting something else because his eyes were glowing red.

"Are you sure you're not a mermaid?" He said as a compliment.

I giggled and got closer to him. Soon, he wrapped me in his arms and made me lean into his chest. His claws caressed my black hair as he hummed another unknown melody. I could feel the vibrations of his vocal chords on his skin. I closed my eyes and let him sing for a while in a language I couldn't understand.

He placed his hand on my heart and his mouth approached my ear. His song got softer as if he were whispering. I got the feeling that he wasn't singing a random song if it was a song because sometimes he sang phrases while speaking. Maybe it was one in a siren language.

His chant ended with his lips placed on my cheek. When I opened my eyes I noticed that the cave was different, the crystals glowing brighter, the water was creating beautiful forms and there were no waves impacting on the entrance. He seemed to enchant everything, included me.

"What did the lyrics say?"

"The song talks about love and be loved in return. It's a traditional song written in an ancient language." He explained.

He was about to take his hands off my body but I placed mines over him so he would still hold me.

 _May you bring love and may you bring happiness  
Be loved in return to the end of your days  
Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you  
I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay_

A few moments after the song ended, I noticed that I was still awake but unable to move any parts of my body, just feel what was surrounding me. I could still feel Adam's warm breath brush my hair and the cold water touching my feet.

He lifted me on his arms and put me somewhere warm, like a mattress. Then, I felt something covering my body, something similar to a blanket. He caressed my head and I felt him kissing my lips slightly.

The merman stayed with me all night, his hand holding mine.

* * *

The next morning I woke up feeling renewed and fresh. I found myself laying in a bed made of algae, the blanket covering me was made of shells and there was no signal of where Adam could be.

I could barely remember what happened last night but I still could feel his warmth on my lips. I smiled at the memory of him singing that beautiful song.

I stared at the sea and a huge desire of swimming invaded me. I took off my clothes and naked I entered the water. I could never do this in Menagerie but here it was different. And Adam wasn't there so nobody was watching me, or that's what I thought.

"Human anatomy is interesting." Adam commented coming from underwater.

"Don't stare at me!" I yelled as he had scared me and I didn't want him to see me naked.

I splashed water to him, I wanted him to stop smirking and staring that way at me. He dodged the water and sank back into the water, a second later appeared behind me.

"Don't be shy. Technically, I'm naked too." He said coming closer.

I covered my breasts with my arms and crossed my legs anyways.

"Where did you sleep?" I asked him.

"With you, I just went to catch some fish for breakfast. Do you want me to catch some for you?" He offered.

"No, I have food on the bag."

I got out of the water and quickly I wrapped myself in a towel I had on the bag. I searched for the food I had brought, two apples and a pack of chips. Then I sat on the shore and offered one of the red apples to Adam.

"This is really hard to find." Replied the merman accepting the apple.

"They grow in the land, on the trees." I explained.

He bit the apple and his sharp fangs got stuck inside. I laughed a bit as he chewed the sweet fruit. When he had finished it, I opened the pack of chips and offered him one. He examined it and bit it, he made a strange face, he wasn't used to sweet flavors.

"Too sweet for you?" I asked.

"It's not that sweet. Your lips are much sweeter."

I blushed. That confirmed me that what I felt last night were his lips on mine.

He drowned the cookie on the salt water and ate it. He seemed to like it more that way.

"Would you like more my lips if they were salty too?" I asked suddenly.

"No. I like the way they taste."

"I like yours too." I confessed.

He wrapped my ankle with his hand and suddenly pulled me underwater. The towel stayed on the surface as he kissed me. I was breathing thanks to the air in his mouth and I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms around him and caress his scales and skin.

He whispered something in my ear in an unknown language and kept kissing me. I didn't know how much time we spent underwater united, but thanks to him I was capable to breathe.

We got to the surface again, I held onto him, his arms around my waist.

"Would you be capable of loving me even if I'm not human?" He asked me.

"I'll love you no matter what you are."

* * *

I stayed with Adam until midday. The time seemed to fly when I was with him. Even though we spent the morning loving each other on the shore of the cave. I would have stayed until dusk but he was the one that reminded me that I had to come back to the land eventually.

I packed my things back to the bag and I held onto him while swimming. I told him to swim slow and go for a swim around the island. I just wanted to spend more time with him.

"Could you bring me a book about your traditions one day?" He asked me. "I've seen all the books you were carrying."

With everything that happened, I didn't have time to read him something. I knew he wanted to know more about my species so he could feel more alike.

"Of course." Then I thought about an excuse for arriving home late. "I will call you again as soon as I can tomorrow." I promised him before arriving at the beach behind my house.

We were near the shore and when I was going to let go of Adam, suddenly, a fishing net fell over us. Somebody started pulling us up, Adam had his tail tangled and I was immobilized, too tight to do something.

"Sir, we found them!" Yelled a policeman.

I looked up at the persons on the beach and I found my father, mother and the police. They looked worried, çeobably for my delay. Or they had discovered that I lied to them.

"Blake, thank gods!" He said.

The policemen helped me get out of the fishing net but when I was going to help Adam, they took me away.

"You were going to kidnap her?" Said angry one of the policemen with a large spear pointing at him.

"No, don't hurt him! He is my friend!" I yelled, my father kept me in his arms. "Dad, he doesn't eat souls, he saved me once." I tried to explain.

I heard Adam screaming, the policeman had pierced the end of his tail with the spear. Blood more obscure than the scales of the tail started tainting the clear ocean.

"He has enchanted you, Blake. Mermen try to bring their preys underwater so there they can devore their soul collectively. He was trying to gain your trust."

That's what the legends said, but Adam had always shown me that those weren't always true. Maybe the other mermaids and mermen under the sea did this but he didn't. There was no way to convince my father.

"Capture him, we need to-..." Started ordering my father, but I didn't let him finish.

"I love him, dad! Don't do this!" I begged, crying.

Adam stopped struggling when heard my declaration. Our glances met and I tried to go to the shore with him, but my father didn't let me.

"Blake. Mermaids and mermen are a real threat, look what has made you believe." Added my mother.

They couldn't understand. They didn't know Adam so they would never understand our connection. He already had earned my trust so if he really wanted to bring me with him at the underwater city he would have already done it.

"Kali, bring Blake back home. I'll deal with the merman." Ordered my father.

"Dad, let him go. He didn't hurt me, he saved my life." I yelled at him.

My father didn't answer and walked back to the shore. I had no other choice than go back home with my mother and the guards of the house that accompanied us.

Later, I took a shower, removing all the salt from my body. I was going crazy, just waiting for my father to return and know what happened with Adam when we left the beach. After finishing drying my hair and changed clothes, I heard the door of my room opening.

I got out of the bathroom and saw my father carrying an old ancient book, my mother and he started reading it. I knew what that book was, it contained various legends of the ocean. I panicked when I saw that he had found my seashell too, the one to communicate with Adam.

"Dad, what happened?" I asked him trying to control myself.

"Did he give you this?" Asked my mother concerned, observing the magic seashell.

"Look, Kali. Here it says: _If you break the connection with the merman, all magic on its prey will disappear."_

I ignored what they were saying. I needed to know what happened.

"Dad, answer me. What happened to him?! Tell me that you let him go!"

"I didn't. He was a hazard to us."

I fell to my knees and my tears stained the floor. The pain on my heart was too hard to stand. I couldn't believe it, he couldn't be dead. My father wouldn't kill him!

"Dear, break the shell or she will keep suffering! If the magic disappears she won't feel bad for him!"

The seashell crashed into the floor. Golden sparks started flying around the room and got out to the window, disappearing into the sea.

My parent's eyes were on me and I realized that there was no point in crying. The pain was still there but I stood tall.

"How do you feel, Blake?" Asked my father caressing my shoulder.

They wouldn't understand so I lied to them.

"I'm fine."

They embraced me. My father was just trying to protect me, but he didn't know that what he did hurt me the most.

* * *

I returned to the beach. I did it without permission, jumping out of the window and running to the shore. I needed to say my spiritual farewell to Adam. I had admitted that he was gone and I wanted to make some kind of ritual as a goodbye to him.

I had brought flowers, candles, and the broken seashell. I sat on the shore and started lighting the candles around me and then I put the waters on the flower. The marine current bringing them always furthest. I cried a bit and felt that my sobs wouldn't be a sound Adam would enjoy, so I replaced them for one song:

 _You were the shadow to my light  
Did you feel us?  
Another start  
You fade away  
Afraid our aim is out of sight  
Wanna see us?  
Alive_

 _Where are you now?  
Was it all in my fantasy?  
Were you only imaginary?  
Where are you now?  
Atlantis  
Under the sea  
Another dream  
The monsters running wild inside of me  
I'm faded_

I suddenly stopped. I was hearing someone singing along with me, but it was a distant chant although really melodic.

I stared into the water, the moonlight reflected on it, the sound of the waves and the melody filling the solitary beach. Then I saw a fishtail on the water but it was too big for a fish, it had to be another species. Then I heard a hypnotizing voice singing a sweet melody. Without thinking it twice, I drowned my body to the water and swam towards the merman. Its tail had red scales like Adam's and I could recognize the melodic chant. There was no doubt it was him.

Its eyes met mines, but those shone differently. There was no curiosity or love, only hunger, and wildness. The merman nailed its sharp nails on my waist and pulled me down the bottom of the ocean, swimming too fast to see what was around us. I yelled of pain and I run out of air, feeling the salty water entering on my lungs as I tried to breathe. The merman had fooled me, tricked me until I had been close enough for him to catch me. I was its prey and nobody knew I was there, on the bottom of the ocean, trapped. The absence of air made my eyes close and drown unconscious but before I lost all my senses, I felt the merman letting go of me and I would have sworn that a bigger and stronger specimen was fighting with him.

* * *

A beautiful music helped me return to life. Surprisingly I was back on the land and still alive. Slowly I opened my eyes and recovered the sight, the blurriness disappearing slowly. I felt a small crab running up and down my arm as someone rubbed my back, holding me, making me face the floor. I coughed all the water that I had swallowed and I was able to breathe again. Someone gently patted me on the back as I struggled to stay conscious.

"Breathe, my love." He sang. "Breathe and return to my loving arms."

I recognized his voice and I turned to face him. In fact, Adam was the one holding me and who rescued me from the other merman. I had no other reaction than hug him, almost making fall Crabby who was now tangled on my hair. Adam sang to me sweet love words, rubbing my back and trying to calm my cries. I couldn't explain him the pain that I felt when I thought that my father had killed him. I knew he wasn't capable of doing it, Adam was alive thanks to him. My father was just trying to protect me and lied to keep me away from the beach and mermen.

"You saved me from the merman that captured me?" I asked confused.

"Your music called me." He only answered.

He kissed my forehead gently. If it wasn't for him I would have been mermen food. I didn't know if he was referring to the song I sang on the beach as a farewell or my heart thumping fast when I was caught by that wild merman.

Then I realized something: I was out of the water and Adam was with me. I slowly let go of his embrace and searched for his tail but instead, I found human male legs. I stared into his eyes trying to find any explanation but it wasn't possible that his tail had disappeared just like that.

"You have legs!" I yelled touching his skin.

"Your father threatened me, he didn't trust a merman so I went to the underwater world for more potion so out of the water I could be a person and I could meet you on the land." He explained.

"You can choose when to transform?!" I asked incredulously.

Adam shook his head and moved to the shore of his cave, where the rocks ended and the water started. He drowned his feet on the sea and his fingers turned into scales. With the contact of the sea water his tail appeared, covering his legs.

Then he put his feet out of the water. While being soaked the scales remained and his human legs didn't appear until he used a new trick. With his hand, Adam was able to pulverize the water off from his body and I saw how slowly the scales vanished and the skin replaced them.

"This is perfect! You can disguise as a student of my class and we could spend time on my house too!"

"Your father wouldn't like the idea."

"But he won't recognize you! You will have to take a shower to make disappear the sea smell and take off the shell necklace you wear and he won't suspect a thing. You will see that he is a loving person."

"I don't know, underwater things are so different…"

"I will bring you a book of traditions of the land as you requested. You will learn how to act and I will be there to help you. We can combine, one day I come to the cave and the other you come to my house."

I convinced Adam but before being able to perform our plan he needed to learn our traditions.

"Can you bring me back home? I will take the book and then we will return here." I asked.

"There's a faster way to do it." He said getting up.

On his gallery of objects, he stood before a big mirror that was partially covered with a cloth. He retired it and I could see how behind it there was a hidden path.

"It brings to the beach. This way is a lot faster than swimming." He explained.

He stayed on the cave as I returned to my house. That secret passage was hidden and the exit was placed between the rocks of the beach. It wasn't obvious that it led to a cave of a merman. I climbed up the rocks and appeared on the beach near her house. The moon was still in the sky, we had plenty of time that night to speak until sunrise. Once I arrived at my house, climbed up the trees and with my faunus agility jumped to my balcony, I grabbed the book about festivals and traditions of Menagerie, a compilation that my father did after being elected as the chieftain in order to have our own culture.

I left as soon as I arrived, descending from a palm tree to the floor. I ran to the beach and I entered the secret passage. Soon I was back at Adam's cave. He was reorganizing his collection of lost objects but when saw me he helped me close the passage with the mirror.

"You need to rest for a while." He said, bringing me to the bed that he had made for me that night I had stayed with him.

I laid my back on his chest as we laid on the algae bed. Adam started reading the book and occasionally asked me something that he didn't understand. Before dawn, he woke me up and told me to hurry and return home before my parents would discover that I had been out all night. I didn't care about anything else than Adam so before I left I kissed him and whispered how glad I was to have him with me.

* * *

Adam tried on the school uniform I stole for him. He seemed a normal faunus boy from my class and the disguise was perfect. I adjusted his tie around his neck before parting to my house. I was excited to show him the land and my house.

"Do you think that when the time comes we could tell your parents that we are husband and wife?" He asked.

I laughed and he stared at me surprised. Luckily, we were alone on our way home and nobody had listened to his commentary.

"When someone starts a romantic relationship it's called 'dating'. Later if the love is true the couples get married and become husband and wife." I explained and he listened to me surprised.

He nodded and we kept walking. I felt his hand holding mine discreetly while staring at the houses and the beautiful market of Kuo Kuana. Despite being surprised, Adam passed for a faunus and nobody could recognize him as a merman as long as his feet were dry. I pulled him closer to me and tangled my arm around his. I didn't want to pretend that we weren't dating but having him back on my life was just a miracle and I didn't want to ruin this.

"There is something I didn't tell you." He said suddenly when we were in a less crowded area, going upstairs in the direction to my house. "I drank that potion not only because I wanted to know your world and stay by your side… I read how important mating is for faunus and if I had a tail we couldn't do it. With legs instead…"

He noticed the blush on my cheeks that started to burn when he mentioned the faunus mating. Of course, the book explained it but the naturality he had when speaking made the moment awkward for me and then for him. As any other young faunus, speaking about mating was embarrassing.

"I said something wrong?" He asked concerned.

"No. I just didn't expect you to care that much for me to think about our future relationship. Mating is indeed important and making that step with your partner is something intimate." I said trying to push the shyness away.

"I am important enough for you to mate with me?" He asked.

"I have never mated before but I have felt love in my heart and I know that my feelings for you are true."

Adam didn't speak any more until we arrived at my house. He was amazed by the structure of the building and when I unlocked the doors and I showed him part of it, he stares for a while at the plants hanging from the ceiling.

"Remember not to look that amazed in front of my parents. All houses here look the same." I reminded him, he just nodded.

When we were ready, I let go of his hand and we went to the dining room. It was empty but I could hear my mother in the kitchen baking something. I told Adam to wait in the dining room and I moved to the kitchen. As I guessed, my mother was baking cookies for a snack. She let me taste one and asked me how my day was, then she noticed that I didn't come alone.

"Who is him?" She asked staring at Adam up and down, noticing that he was wearing the uniform of my school. "He is handsome…"

"Mom, I kinda have feelings for him and he is nice and sweet. Can you tell dad to behave and not scare him? I want to have the chance to meet him." I rushed to explain everything in a way I knew my mother would understand. We both knew how protective father was.

"Don't worry sweetie, I will control your father. Meanwhile, why don't you introduce me to him?"

I knew I could trust my mother enough to tell her that I felt something for Adam but not enough to tell her that he was a merman. When I introduced my mother to him, he acted normal as an ordinary faunus would act, thanking her for letting him stay on our house to make 'homework'. My mother seemed to like him since she saw how close we were and how respectful he was. We ate the cookies that mom had baked and Adam regretted not to have a cup with seawater to drown the cookie there and turn it saltier. My mother saw how well we got along and wanted to give us some privacy.

When she was about to leave the dining room, my father came in a found that I was with a boy. He narrowed his eyes at Adam and for a moment I thought that he had recognized him but he was just being a strict, overprotective and jealous father. Now that my father had joined us, my mother didn't leave us alone with him and broke the ice introducing Adam to him using the words 'classmate and friend'. We sat down on the table once more, my mother close to my father so she could control him. I noticed how Adam got more nervous in his presence.

"Adam Taurus, huh? What are your aspirations, young man?" He asked him.

"I feel like I'm too young to have a clear answer to your question, Mr. Belladonna." He answered awkwardly but it was enough for my father.

"Do you like studying?" My father kept asking.

"A lot, I love learning new things but I prefer studying on my own." He said referring to reading alone and not assisting class, but my father misunderstood it.

"Then why did you come to study here with Blake? What are your true intentions with my daughter? I couldn't help but notice how you look at her." He narrowed his eyes at him.

My mother patted his shoulder, telling him to relax but my father kept glancing at Adam. My mother tried to interrupt the tension between them uselessly.

"Someone wants something to drink?" She asked.

"I want to be her husband because our love is true." Adam answered so calmed.

The surprise on them caused the worse to happen. My mother let go of the bottle of water and it fell to the floor, breaking it into pieces. The water dipped Adam's legs and my parents were able to see how his feet and ankles turned into scales. The lower part of his pants broke as the red tail appeared. My father got up and called the guards but my mother tried to calm him down.

"Ghira, let them explain this." My mother said. "He is not in the water, he is harmless here."

My father grabbed my arm and made me get up and stand behind him protectively. The guards pointed at Adam with their arrows threateningly.

"Why did you abandon your territory?" My father asked.

"I have got nothing left underwater, all I have is Blake." Adam confessed.

The scales of his merman tail started to fade, turning into spots of fair skin. When the water started to evaporate his legs appeared, half-covered by pieces of the uniform pants that had been torn apart due to his sudden transformation. I took advantage of everybody's distraction and grabbed a blanket from the sofa and returned by Adam's side to cover his slightly wet legs. My father made a step forward to try and separate me from Adam but my mother put one hand in his chest to stop him.

"I love Blake." Adam suddenly confessed, his eyes looking into mines. "And I'd like to have your permission as Chieftain of the island to stay on the land." He said to my father.

"You used magic to transform your tail into legs. How can I be sure that you didn't use magic with my daughter?" My father asked, still not trusting him for being of another species, one that was known for being dangerous and cruel towards their preys, the humans.

"If you allow me I can show you our story." Adam replied.

Mermen and mermaids were magical but I had no idea that apart from singing they could have such amazing abilities.

"Touch my heart, Blake." Adam asked me.

Hesitating, I placed my hand on his chest more or less where I thought the heart was located. Suddenly I could hear his heartbeats in my inside. Adam held out his hands, one for my mother and another for my father. My father motioned for the guards to leave and touched Adam's hand as my mother. He held them both firmly and I felt our hearts beating along at the same time.

"Close your eyes and think of everything we have experienced together, Blake." Adam told me.

I did as he said and at the exact moment I started to remember how we met I felt a pressure on my head. My thoughts ran through the link all four had established. Everybody could see how I fell from the rocks in one of my walks on the beach and how Adam rescued me. Then when I woke up in his cave and how at first I was scared but then Adam brought me to the shore and we agreed on seeing each other another day. Another image appeared: my fingers caressing the beautiful shell Adam gave me to communicate, the same one that my parents destroyed after finding out my relationship with him. From that, I went to a nocturne walk on the shore to mourn my lost love and that was when a merman captured me and Adam saved me again. If that couldn't convince my parents that Adam really loved me I didn't know what else could.

As we arrived at the actual point of our story the link between us weakened. Suddenly I felt a strange sensation hit me and I started to feel dizzy. Luckily, Adam held me before I could lose my conscience. He rubbed my cheeks warmly for me to open my eyes and all I could do was embrace him after remembering everything we had been through to be together.

"How can I trust you?" My father asked, still perplexed after seeing the sequence of our memories.

"These memories are from Blake's point of view. If she were enchanted she wouldn't be conscious of her actions and wouldn't have any memories." Adam explained.

The room suddenly was silent. My father was still examining Adam as I snuggled into his warm neck, praying that he would understand what Adam and I felt for each other. His gentle hand caressed the back of my head and my cat ears, making my skin shiver. Those sweet shows of affection seemed to affect my mother someway. Maybe it reminded her of dad and herself.

"Ghira, he saved her. Twice." My mother said, caressing his arm. "Isn't that enough to trust him?"

"What if he loses control? The first soul eaten would be our daughter's. What then?" My father replied in an angry tone.

"Mr. Belladonna, when you are hungry you don't eat your wife despite being used to eat meat, right?" Adam interrupted, stealing a smile of mine while I imagined my father extremely hungry. "I eat like you the only difference is that mermen and mermaids have magic to extract the soul from a body. I can survive eating meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits as faunus and humans do."

My father didn't seem very convinced but my mother did. My father was just being what he needed to do, be overprotective. But since the moment I entered the room with Adam my mother saw love in our eyes.

"Let him live here." My mother suddenly proposed. "Maybe with his help we can make Menagerie shores safer." That was an issue my father had been struggling to solve since he became Chieftain.

"I could do something about it." Adam tried to convince my father. "I'd like to stay on the land, I don't belong to the sea anymore. I belong to Blake."

His sincere words made me blush. I had always seen our relationship as if I were the one out of Adam's world but he made everything in his hands to belong to mine.

"Alright." My father said. "You can stay under this roof for now and we'll discuss your responsibilities as a citizen of Menagerie later."

I couldn't help but kiss Adam, making my father glance at him with clear rage. The poor merman felt my father's glance and almost shivered due to its intensity. He had forgotten about asking something else:

"I'd also like your permission to be with your daughter." He tried to ask politely.

"Of course you have our support, right Ghira?" Kali said, hitting softly my father's arm only to make him nod slightly angry.

Adam hugged me tightly, we couldn't be happier. Our eyes met and our lips wanted too but before my father could growl at us I decided to get up from the floor and held out my hand to Adam, who was still laying on the floor due to his sudden transformation.

"Come with me, Adam. I'll show you my dorm." I said, helping him to get up.

He needed to change clothes too. Maybe I had something that could fit him. I turned around before going upstairs with Adam behind me. My father glanced at Adam and threatened him with his eyes.

"I didn't allow him to stay in our daughter's room." I heard my father growl.

"Don't be like that, sweetheart." My mother tried to calm him.

"If it were for me I'd throw him back into the ocean." My father muttered.

Adam had started loving me from underwater, watching me from the distance as I walked along the shore. An unfortunate accident gave us an opportunity to meet each other and despite at first being afraid of him by the so-known prejudices of his species. But he showed me twice that I had nothing to fear, modifying his own nature to be together. Both of us, together, underwater and beyond.

* * *

Wow! This was requested long, long ago and finally, I can post it. It is a very long AU and it had been a while since I posted an AU.

Next thing I will post will be the short fluffy comic drabble "Learning landing strategies with Adam", the third option of the votation.

After that, if I haven't got any other option to make another poll, I will post a really sweet but sad drabble. I'll keep the summary as a surprise, but it's one of my favorites I've written so far.

I'm also working on my version of V6, an arc about Adam's revenge and strong one-sided Tauradonna. I hope I can post it before Volume 6 starts airing to not influence the drabble with the canon plot.

Remember, if you enjoyed the drabble or have any petitions and requests, leave a review!


	22. Learning landing strategies with Adam

**Learning landing strategies with Adam**

 **Rating:** K

 **Summary:** In their first training session, Adam has a particular way to teach his new pupil. "Cats always land on their feet, don't they, Blake?"

 **A/N:** This drabble is a pure short fluffy comedy between a novice White Fang member and her new mentor.

This short drabble was the third option of the poll I made a few drabbles ago so I'm doing another poll for you to vote which one I should post first in the reviews. At the end of the drabble will be all the options explained.

Enjoy!

* * *

Blake hadn't seen anything like the Forever Fall forest before. Back in Menagerie, all the vegetation seen were palm trees as the land was dry and two third parts of the island were desert. But that haunting red mesmerized her senses. The leaves were falling to the ground as scarlet rain. A forest where it was always autumn obviously set Blake's mind on fire. Her imagination as a curious reader traveled quickly comparing the scenario with another fantasy worlds she had built on her head.

That hyperactive head Blake had seemed to annoy his new mentor at first sight. Nevertheless, it was just his mask that hid his emotions. Deep down he was amused by the cat faunus' glowing eyes. He had seen her grew up as he was a personal guard of her father, the former High Leader of the White Fang. Now seeing her that way, in such childish position but at the same time in a mature conflict between races made Adam wonder what she was thinking while walking.

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Taurus asked as he led the way.

"Sorry. It's just this-…" Belladonna seemed to search for the correct word. "...ambiance that takes my breath away."

There was something in her voice that made her words poetic. Or maybe she spoke like that because of all the books she had read. Adam always remembered her reading in peace back in Menagerie. But Adam knew that leaving behind peace, family, and fairytales was a sign of great strength. She could have ignored the faunus fight and stay in the island with her loved ones but instead chose to leave her home and come to a human kingdom to fight.

Adam couldn't wait to test her abilities. And the place where they arrived was the perfect way to press all her buttons and see what she would do.

"Wow…" Blake exclaimed mesmerized seeing the sights from the cliff. The red forest seemed endless and a path of train rails crossed the wildness of the vegetation. "Why are we here?" She managed to ask when snapped out of the Forever Fall trance.

"Do you know what a landing strategy is?" Adam suddenly asked while leaving the backpack and weapon he was carrying beside a tree.

"No." Blake replied, wondering what would a landing strategy be.

When Taurus wasn't carrying any extra weight on he approached his apprentice. Belladonna immediately noticed in the way he walked that something was off. Before she could speak about how close her mentor was, Adam lifted the cat faunus, carrying her over his shoulder.

"A-Adam!?" Blake exclaimed, noticing how strong he was for the fact that he had lifted her effortless. "What are you-…?!"

The mentor walked forward until his fingertips were at the edge of the cliff. Then bent Blake down to make her look at the distance from the edge to the floor.

"You will be falling and you have to land." Taurus sentenced, preparing himself to throw Blake off the cliff.

Belladonna stared down once more, seeing the fate that was waiting for her. How could Adam be so careless? She didn't even start training and he wanted her to land safely after being thrown off a large cliff? Was he insane?!

"I'm not a freakin' plane! Don't let me go! I don't know what to do!" Blake complained but it didn't seem to influence her mentor.

The cat faunus was desperately nailing her fingers on Adam's shoulder and trying to tangle her legs around his body. Nevertheless, he managed to hold her bridal style in a way she could not hold on to him.

"Cats always land on their feet, don't you?" Adam chuckled, making a joke that coming from a human would be considered racist.

Before Blake could reply with a not-nice commentary, her mentor moved his body backward to have more impulse and throw her forward.

"Adam!" She yelled as she felt the wind caressing her silhouette while falling down the cliff.

The mentor observed his pupil as she fell down. First Blake couldn't even think, overwhelmed by the fact that an impact like that could leave her stuck in the ground. Her hair didn't allow her to look clearly around her but the only sure thing she knew is that she had earth at her right and below her, each time closer in fact.

The cat faunus searched the black bow attached to Gambol Shroud, her personalized weapon. Luckily due to the wind, the bow wasn't tangled. Blake tangled it around her fist and pulled with all her strength. With the sheath of the weapon unattached she reached for the cliff wall and nailed the sharp edge on it, hoping it would stop her fall.

At first, the only thing the sheath did was create a dusty atmosphere and break parts of the wall but then Blake pushed the sheath deeper and slowly the velocity with she was falling disappeared. Just in time, her feet touched the ground and luckily she could stand firm without hurting her feet.

She had reacted just as Adam expected. Satisfied with her pupil's survival instincts, the bull faunus put his feet on the wall of the cliff to slide down and reach for her. Blake's cat ears perked as her mentor appeared beside her.

"I could have killed myself!" Blake scolded.

Taurus stared down at his angry pupil. The sight was cute and to make her even more angrier Adam gave smalle pats between her cat ears, praising her good work.

"But you didn't." Adam smiled at the grumpy cat. "You still have nine lives."

Belladonna's angry expression slowly faded as a pink blush appeared in her cheeks. Taurus frowned when saw her sudden change of mood due to his praises and Blake couldn't help but stare down at the floor as she folded down her ears in embarrassment.

"Let's see how many lives will remain once you teach me everything you know." Blake muttered trying to act tough.

"Step by step, grumpy cat." Adam said, putting on his backpack and grabbing her hand to return to the headquarter.

"Don't call me that, Adam!" She complained annoyed.

And as they disappeared into the red malice of the forest Blake and Adam started to form a deep bond that would last for years and would even develop an intense romance and later make a wicked seed grow inside their hearts.

* * *

This was very short, but I hope you enjoyed it likewise.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Thank you, good sir! I have made a poll for you to vote which drabble you'd like me to post first.

 **Angel'sMeraki:** This never happened to me before but the ideas for this fandom, and Tauradonna, don't seem to stop. I always come up with more drabbles and this collection surely will be even longer than it is already thanks to your support. When I started Shadows I thought I would receive a lot of hate for writing about Tauradonna but I'm glad to see the results almost a year after starting this collection. Thank you very much. Feel free to vote the option you like more to post it next.

Okay, here's the new poll, which one should I upload next? Vote in the reviews, it's free!

 **Option number 1: Unexpected reencounter** (or at least that is the provisional title of the drabble): Blake and Adam reencounter after many years after he left Blake and the island to join the White Fang in the human kingdoms. They have changed and their feelings too, but how will they react when meet again in a White Fang party? (Expect angst and fluff)

 **Option number 2: Adam's revenge** (my version of Volume 6 with a Tauradonna arc): Adam is no longer accepted in the White Fang and all he has left is his agreement with Salem. Adam joins Hazel in order to steal the relic from the team. Nevertheless, Taurus will come up with another plan when he finds out what Blake is up to with her new teammates. The team is reunited again and they seem to have everything under control, but when one of the members is missing the price to pay will weight on humanity's fate.

Frozenheart7


	23. Adam's revenge

Adam's revenge

 **A/N:** I wanted to post this before knowing anything official about Volume 6 but yesterday the trailer got published. Despite being the other option more voted (the re-encounter drabble) I felt the urge to post this before anyone started making theories about the trailer and Volume 6 to not see my version less valid (counting that this is a fanfic, of course.) Sorry for the useless votation, the next drabble published will be the one about Blake and Adam reencountering.

I'm also traveling to Galicia this week so I had to post this sooner (and not in the weekend as usual) to keep up the pace. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this.

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** My version of Volume 6 with an intense Tauradonna arc. Adam is no longer accepted in the White Fang and all he has left is his agreement with Salem. Adam joins Hazel in order to steal the relic from the team. Nevertheless, Taurus will come up with another plan when he finds out what Blake is up to with her new team is reunited again and they seem to have everything under control, but when one of the members is missing the price to pay will weight on humanity's fate.

* * *

 _The old door of the motel cracked, same as the wood tables that covered the floor. Each step made the small room shake, not by the weight but by anger. He would have normally searched for something better but desperate times required for desperate measures and the motel next to the Inn was a hidden spot where nobody would search for them._

 _Adam left Wilt and Blush on the table and stared at his partner of big complexion, sitting on a chair way smaller than him. He would have made fun of him in his head but Hazel's help had been a great help for their mutual plans. Now without the White Fang his deal with Salem was all they had left._

" _We're ready for now." Taurus said, taking off his coat._

" _Then I'll be on my way for the 'trade'." Hazel replied, wanting to leave from the dusty room as soon as possible._

 _There weren't needed any more words to understand each other. The plan was clear and it was beneficial for both of them. Now all Adam had to do is wait and enjoy his vengeance._

 _Just in time, the hard sound the door made when Hazel exited the room, made Blake open her eyes. She was still dizzy and her sight was fussy so all around her looked strange. At first, she didn't realize where she was and didn't remember exactly what happened before ending in a bed. The style of the room was similar to the Inn her friends had been staying for the night and that feeling of fake-security was what made the hit harder._

" _How are you feeling?" Adam asked from the bottom of the room. He was opening a case that contained a syringe and small bottles filled with transparent liquids._

 _Belladonna recognized the voice, she would have even if there had been other ten people talking in the same room at the same time. Her heart seemed to stop and quick flashes filled Blake's mind as she remembered what had happened at the quiet Inn her teammates and friends were staying. And the relic…_

 _Adam approached Blake with the syringe full of liquid in hand. The cat faunus suddenly seemed to recover her senses, her sight was no longer blurry and her head started to hurt. She had to leave but when she tried to move all she achieved was to make the bed crack. Her hands were tied at the headboard with plastic cramps. She tried to scream when Adam bent down and put the syringe close for her to see it but her yells were muffled by tape stuck on her mouth._

" _I am going to take care of you, my darling." He muttered, caressing a few locks of hair that had gotten in Blake's face, her eyes open wide in fear as he touched her vulnerable neck. "And I'll make sure that you live a long life…." The needle of the syringe sank into Blake's tender flesh and she closed her eyes in pain as the liquid soothed her down "…by my side." was all she could hear before passing out._

* * *

The young hunters and huntresses had been walking all day, only stopping an hour to eat during midday. The journey had been complicated, finding a lot of Grimm on the way. Luckily they were more this time and traveling together wasn't as challenging as when Jaune, Nora, Ren and Ruby had to walk all the way up to Mistral. This time they wouldn't have to be months to arrive at their destiny, despite being Atlas blocked, people could still enter the continent by ship. The docks were two days away, walking peacefully but old Qrow knew things seemed too easy to be true…

"Are we there yet?" Jaune asked Ruby.

"Yep. The Inn must be close." She replied, hearing a beowolf howling at the moon, knowing her uncle was watching them from the distance and taking care of the creatures of Grimm.

"I think there is a signal!" Weiss exclaimed, pointing forward.

They all ran forward, ignoring the pain on their feet. The sun had set a few hours ago and they all were excited to finally get to rest in a comfortable bed in an Inn in the middle of the forest, just for travelers as they were.

"The Inn is that way." Yang said, who was carrying the relic hidden inside an old bag, pointing with her robotic arm at a much smaller and darker path. If the signal said so, the Inn had to be there.

"Yeah, I think I can see a distant light." Sun added, stepping on the small path that the signal pointed.

"Let's go then! I'm hungry!" Nora added, grabbing Ren by the arm and drawing him into the small path.

The rest of the group followed them, making their way into the Inn to eat something and rest for the night.

"Is everything alright, Blake?" Sun asked, seeing her cat ears perked as if she were perceiving something.

Sun grabbed his gunchucks in case a beast tried to attack them. Blake was the best tracking due to her faunus heritage. If she noticed something wrong, there was definitely something dangerous ahead. Belladonna sighed and put down Sun's gunchucks.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired." She said, suddenly realizing that they had been left behind in the crossroad. "They will notice we are missing, let's go." Blake said, holding Sun's hand.

"Wait." He insisted, stopping the cat faunus. She was tense but when Sun placed his hand on Blake's cheek, she relaxed. "You sure you are okay?"

Wukong's question was complicated to answer for Blake after all the emotions experienced at Haven. Her encounter with Adam, stopping the whole attempt to destroy the Academy, re-encountering her team and friends… That was a lot to process and she slowly was getting used to seeing the world the way it was, how Ozpin told them.

"Yeah, I am. Don't worry." She replied sweetly, leaning into his shoulders and embracing him. At least she was getting used to having Sun by her side.

"What's the holdup, lovebirds?!" Suddenly a voice behind them said.

From the dark of the forest, Qrow and Oscar appeared, who had been left behind to avoid the negative effects of Qrow's semblance and watch over the young hunters and huntresses. Blake stepped back but kept holding Sun's hand.

"We just thought we heard something. Must have been you." Sun said, trying to hide the fact that he missed having some time alone with Blake.

"We need each one of you to guard the relic. Remnant's fate is in our hands now." Oscar said in Ozpin's tone.

* * *

That sentence had been dancing around in Blake's head all night. That plus the strange feeling that they were being observed didn't let her rest properly.

Belladonna sat on the bed and looked at the bed beside her where Yang, her partner, was resting peacefully. Blake was tired for the journey and the intense days but when insomnia kicked in the only thing that helped her was the fresh air of the night, maybe even a little walk to vanish the intrusive thoughts that worried her.

Her feet searched for her slippers, successfully finding them and checked once more that Yang was deep asleep and the relic was safe inside the closet. Bringing Gambol Shroud with her she sneaked out of the room without making noise or even lighting the way thanks to her faunus heritage. Downstairs in the Inn, Qrow was drinking and probably too drunk to notice her getting out of the building. On a corner, there was a cute couple and the woman was pregnant, nothing suspicious.

When Belladonna got out, the cold air of the night hit her hard. She breathed in deeply and exhaled exhausted. She hated the sensation of waiting for the bad things to happen. The crickets and nocturne ambiance didn't make that feeling disappear and her stomach started to ache. Staring at the darkness of the forest, Blake knew something was definitely not fine. The next minutes would be spent thinking about if she should enter the dark and investigate unarmed or wake up Yang and go together to see if her instincts were right. That was enough for someone to miss her.

"Blake." Sun called softly, trying not to scare the cat faunus who being so busy thinking hadn't heard him coming. Blake turned to stare at him but her eyes traveled to the darkness of the forest once more. "What is it?"

"I don't know… Maybe it's just me." Belladonna said, not sure about the sensation being paranoia or reality.

The monkey faunus approached her and sat on the wood stairs that led inside the Inn. When Blake stayed on her feet, Sun held her hand to pull her arm down and make her sit behind him.

"Are you worried about your family?" Sun said, trying to find out what troubled Blake but also not wanting to ask more than necessary and result annoying to her.

Blake actually turned her whole body to Sun, a non-verbal sign that she was disposed to open up to him and talk about herself, forgetting the hidden threat in the forest.

* * *

Hazel growled and walked towards the light after speaking to Watts. Salem knew about Haven and how the attack failed, the relic was stolen and the White Fang's temporal dissolution. He needed to retrieve the relic and bring it to her and prove Salem that he was loyal and to achieve that Hazel was disposed to do whatever. No matter the costs.

"Hey, Taurus." He said, seeing him kneeled and watching over the Inn.

"Silence." Adam ordered, his sight focused on two figures on the porch.

Hazel ignored his harsh command and kneeled down to see what caught Taurus attention. It was her cat-friend, former lover or eternal enemy. He didn't care. Nevertheless, Hazel knew they both had a long story. And he also knew that Taurus was pissed off by the cat faunus' company, a monkey faunus. They were talking, sitting on the old wood stairs, staring at each other, barely blinking, her weapon forgotten on the stairs. He stayed silent just to watch carefully Taurus expression and admire how angry he was and how he clenched his fists.

"I'm still worried for Yang. We are sharing a room but she didn't say a word… I still have to regain her trust and earn her forgiveness." Blake said to Sun, still guilty for leaving Yang after her unfortunate encounter with Adam at Beacon. The bull faunus smiled when heard the indirect reference of him maiming the infuriating blonde. Hazel tried to put the pieces together on his mind with what the two faunus kept saying.

"Adam's actions aren't your fault Blake." Sun said, caressing Blake's shoulder. "I know…" She replied with an uncertain tone.

Hazel saw that the chat had just begun between the two faunus. It was interesting to learn more from his faunus henchman but also their plan had to start.

"The relic must be upstairs, surely guarded by Ozpin and Qrow." Hazel started, but Adam wasn't listening, too busy trying to hear a new topic Blake and Sun started to discuss.

"You have me for whatever you need." Wukong sentenced, holding both of Blake's cold hands. "When you first met me you might have thought that I was just being by your side to gain your heart. But I hope that now you see that I'm more than just a flirty dork."

Blake stared surprised at the monkey faunus. "You've done so much for me, Sun…" She said, thinking hard about what to say next. "For a long time I didn't even want to hear about romance after what happened with Adam, but now I have changed my mind. I know that experience won't happen again. You are not like Adam…" Belladonna said, leaving at the air a new possibility for both of them.

The cat faunus saw how compelled Sun was by her sincere words. She sat closer to him and lifted their hands tangled to kiss his knuckles. Her warmth somehow woke Sun up and let him start to process all the information.

"You… you want to give me a chance?" Wukong said with sparks on his eyes. Joy.

"I want to give us a chance." Belladonna corrected, smiling wide at Sun's reaction.

Adam clenched his teeth in rage and got a hold in Wilt and Blush but before he could aim at the couple, Hazel stopped him. The bull faunus hit his hand with the tip of the gun but obeyed and put the weapon down.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Hazel whispered angrily. "Keep your personal business aside." He warned once more.

"Join me inside?" Wukong said, breaking the tension of the moment and catching both Hazel and Adam's attention.

"In a moment. I want to breathe some more fresh air." Blake replied with a smile, staring at an uncertain spot in the darkness of the forest.

Adam glanced at the monkey faunus until he entered the Inn. Blake was too lonely to effective.. It was a good opportunity served in a silver plate to finally make her pay for what she did.

"Move and distract her, I'll attack." Taurus said, creating a plan in his mind. Hazel opened his eyes in surprise and tried to protest but before he could Adam spoke again: "Believe me, having her as bait will make the plan be infallible."

"How are you so sure?" Hazel asked. He didn't trust Adam seeing how impulsive he was. He didn't want to admit but this idea appeared just because he was jealous of the cat faunus having another boyfriend.

"They will want to trade her so badly for the relic... and even more if they find out that she is in my hands." Taurus said, grabbing the hold of his weapon. "Will you help me?"

"What do I get from all of this?" Hazel asked, still not quite sure about the radical change of plans.

"You'll have the relic and I'll keep the cat faunus for myself." Taurus knew Hazel wouldn't deny that chance. He preferred passive actions and not an actual fight.

Hazel finally nodded and crawled between the bushes in the direction to the cat faunus, slowly making his way to be closer. Taurus, still hiding, observed how Blake's cat ears twitched while hearing Hazel moving between the bushes. She got up for the stairs and looked around with suspicion. Her senses were as good as they used to be, she had been knowing someone had been following them since that afternoon. And now that she was alone she would rather end with her suspicions by herself than asking help to her teammates and alerting the others.

"Who's there?!" Blake asked, making a defensive posture and by the corner of her eye following the sounds Hazel made while moving around the building.

The sounds stopped and Belladonna made a step back. She stared for a moment at the door. Adam knew she had Gambol Shroud and her friends but he needed her helpless in order to abduct her. Blake slowly went upstairs without moving her glance from the bushes, she was going to return inside and probably warn the other about their presence. Hazel, to avoid the opportunity to fade right before their eyes, imitated a low growl with his powerful voice and made a good impression of a wild Grimm.

Belladonna turned and aimed at the spot where she had heard the growl with Gambol Shroud. Adam knew she wouldn't shoot until two red eyes were shown, a basic law of the hunters and huntresses to distinct people and animals from beasts. Hazel had normal eyes so she wouldn't dare to shoot without making sure what she would hit. Using the noises Hazel made with the bushes in his advantage, Adam came out of his hideout and walked with his feet stuck at the ground, also using the darkness in his advantage.

Blake felt a shadow growing and when she tried to turn to see what was behind her she got hit with the hold of Wilt and Blush.

"Goodnight, my dearest." Adam whispered as he saw how Blake fell to the floor.

The cat faunus felt the intense pain on her head and that familiar voice, but everything was too dark and fussy to distinguish things around her. As she laid on her back to look up, two dark shadows stood and with another hit on her head she finally passed out. Adam bent over to lift the now unconscious cat faunus before Hazel, who thought that only because he was stronger and bigger he was the only one that could lift the others. Adam smiled satisfied while observing his missing love back in his arms.

"We have her. Where are we headed now?" Hazel asked.

Suddenly, before Adam could answer, the door of the Inn got open and Sun came from inside to check on Blake.

"Blak-...?!" His words got stuck in his mouth when he saw Blake's head bleeding and Adam and his henchman trying to steal her. "Leave Blake alone!" He yelled furiously.

Taurus ran to the bushes to hide and have the darkness as his ally. Hazel as a distraction, grabbed a big trunk from a broken tree from the floor and threw it at the money faunus, who was just going downstairs to follow her partner and the kidnapper. Wukong managed to dodge the trunk but it crashed into the wood stairs and destroyed them, the wood now divided in two.

"What's happening?!" Qrow said, exiting the Inn and seeing the wood destroyed, Wukong armed and in front of him, Hazel breathing heavily.

Hazel felt his blood burning as the rage took control of him. As Qrow took a defensive position and unleashed his swords.

"Go find the others! They have to protect the relic!" Branwen yelled at Sun.

"But they took Blake!" Wulong replied, not caring much about the relic.

Hazel grabbed a tree trunk and with all his strength managed to pull the roots out of the earth.

"Prepare to meet your doom." Hazel growled, lifting the tree and throwing it in the Inn's direction.

The tree hit Wukong, who couldn't focus on the actual encounter because of Blake's abduction. He felt his thorax being crushed as he sank into the wood structure that subjected the porch of the Inn. Qrow managed to dodge the tree and jumped on the stable land but after wasting a few valuable seconds checking what happened to Sun he realized that Hazel had escaped after throwing them the tree.

Now all that was left was the dark.

"We n-need to find Blake…" Sun said weakly from the floor, trying to sneak under the roots of the tree, struggling to breathe.

* * *

Adam returned inside the motel room after having some time for himself. He realized that now that he had Blake he needed a solid plan to live. She was now his prisoner and needed a quiet place to tame her. If he could earn Salem's trust after achieving the relic maybe she would let her stay in her hideout…

"Agh!" As he entered the room, some kind of rope got around his neck as Blake jumped in his back, tightening her fists to strangle Taurus.

"Y-you!" Adam yelled, realizing that she had escaped from her boundaries on the bed.

The oxygen escaped his system so he stepped back quickly until Blake's back hit the edge of a drawer, causing her great pain. She let go of Adam and fell, hitting her head with a drawer in the process. A wave of dizziness left her defenseless for a few seconds. Those seconds were enough for Taurus to untangle the rope off his neck and realize that it was just the wire of the lamp that was ln the bedside table.

"Smart move, my love." He said, turning to watch her laying on the floor and trying to crawl towards the door. "How did you manage to escape? I thought you were sleeping…" He said, following her.

Belladonna tried to reach for the mid-open door but from the floor her mobility was limited and Taurus was already on his feet. He closed the door with his boot and then placed it on Blake's back, pressuring her weak body against the floor which made her whimper in pain.

"Why a-are you doing this?" She asked from the floor, feeling his weight on her, not letting her breathe properly. "L-let me go…" She pleaded.

The weight on her back disappeared and she could breathe freely again. Nevertheless, the moment to rest didn't last long as Adam grabbed her arm and lifted her half-sedated body.

"I'm tired of playing with you while being asleep." He said, avoiding her previous question.

Their eyes met in a brief moment, something that hadn't happened in a long time. Since they become enemies all she had faced was the Grimm mask but now she could tell something in his glance was missing… Maybe love, humanity or just mercy. Adam had lost his drive and now he was doing everything he could to survive, she could feel the instability too.

"Are you satisfied with what you've made of me?" Adam asked her, eyes locked together. In hers, there was pure terror in his insanity. She tried to look away but he pulled her hair roughly. "Look at me!"

"You were a monster even before I met you! It was hidden inside you all the time!" She spat with all the anger possible.

Adam in a burning rage threw Blake to the soft couch of the bed. She thanked it was just the pillow impacting with her head and not furniture. He didn't think she could resist another hit, she still had sedative running through her veins. Injecting her again would put her life at risk but taking pills wouldn't. Taurus opened the drawer and grabbed a bottle of pills. He sat on the bed and in top of Blake before she could do something to escape.

"What do I have to do to end this?!" Belladonna yelled, trying to stop Adam's hands that were trying to pin hers down the couch.

Taurus immobilized Blake by grabbing and tightening her neck. Roughly, he opened the bottle of pills with his teeth and grabbing a pair of them, put both the pills and his hand over Blake's mouth.

"Swallow them!" He said pushing his fingers over her lips until one of them was introduced in her mouth. She tried to take them out but Adam didn't allow her a rest and opened the bottle of water in the bedside table and dropped the liquid over Blake's face, parting her lips with his fingers so she had to swallow the pills.

"We could have been happy together." Adam said as he saw how Blake was forced to swallow all the content inside her mouth. "But you ruined it and you are paying for it."

The cat faunus felt how Adam tied her hands together as her sight went blurry. He was right, she left and thanks to that now he was a monster. The guilt filled her chest and made everything hurt even more.

The bull faunus, curious that she calmed down so quickly, made sure to tie her hands together so she couldn't escape anymore. Blake turned her head to a side and closed her eyes but the anger still burnt inside Adam, who wouldn't let her breathe in peace.

"You're not going to leave me again, understood?!" He asked but never obtained an answer.

Blake was lying down and breathing slow, eyes closed. He slapped soft her face so she would open her eyes but she didn't. The ignorance made his blood boil so he grabbed her face and made her head lift, discovering a pool of blood under Blake's head. He touched her hair and noticed it wet, when he stared at his own hands, red blood was staining his skin.

"Blake?" He shook her body but the cat faunus didn't move. He remembered how she got a hard hit on her head with the furniture while struggling, that would explain all the blood in her head. "Blake!"

Belladonna didn't open her eyes and now Adam was the one with guilt nailing his chest. He got up from the bed and stared at how the blood kept staining the bedsheets, an aura of red around Blake's head.

"Shit-...!" Adam cursed and quickly got up to grab a towel from the bathroom.

He felt the urge to heal Blake although he wanted her hurt and weak. He needed her in a bad, toxic way. He wouldn't let death separate them and much less her stupid friends.

Grabbing everything he found in the bathroom and several towels, Adam returned to the bedroom just to find the bed stained in red and Blake gone. The door was open wide and there was a path made of bloodstains leading outside.

"You little-...!" Taurus cursed, she had fooled him again. But she wouldn't run much further if she was bleeding so quickly.

Belladonna ran through the forest with her hands still tied together. It was dark and her sight was getting blurrier. Her head hurt and the hit was deep, she almost passed out when realized all the blood she had been losing. But as she ran, she realized it was the only thing she could do, escape from Adam, who surely by now would have noticed she was gone. If he caught her again, the punishment would be severe and the opportunity to return with her friends would be gone.

"Come here, darling!" Blake heard Adam yelling thanks to her cat ears. She calculated he was a few meters away. He would catch her eventually if she didn't speed up.

Luckily, Blake found a destination to go. Very, very far there was a huge light. It surely was from a crossroad and there the signs could help her orientate. Ignoring the pain she felt every time her naked feet touched the ground, she ran faster, hearing Adam's steps behind her, each time closer. The light at the end gave her the strength to continue and enough ability to undo the rope tying her hands together.

It had been so much time since she last felt such wildness while running through the forest, almost blindly. The adrenaline was running through her veins to, that was what made her reach the light, where she realized it wasn't desert.

"Blake?" Ruby yelled.

The cat faunus stepped out of the darkness of the forest and let the light on the crossroad illuminate her face. Team RWBY, JNR, Sun… they were all there and could see Blake covered in blood and red rivers running down her forehead. Qrow was protecting Oscar, who was carrying the relic. But before Blake could realize in which situation she was, Adam's strong arms got a grip around her and restrained her weak body from the loss of blood and breath.

"You aren't going anywhere." Taurus whispered to her cat ears with anger. If it weren't for his grip, Blake would have fallen to the floor due to the tiredness.

Belladonna turned her head and saw Hazel standing tall at the other side of the path.

"Isn't she opportune?" He mocked.

At first, Belladonna couldn't comprehend in what situation they all were involved. The confusion and the adrenaline fading made her kneel down. Adam realized she had no more strength left and only subjected her by the blood-wet hair.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Blake heard Sun yell.

Wukong was going to run forward and confront the bull faunus, who also unsheathed his weapon, but Qrow stopped him before a new fight started. The moment was critical and they needed to think coldly despite having one member of the team bleeding to death.

"What have you done to her?" Yang asked terrified. Blake looked like a ghost. The contrast of her raven hair, red blood, and white nightgown was a wicked sight that left her closer friends shocked.

The weapon that once pointed at Sun was now at Blake's neck as Adam held her head up. She had her eyes closed now and life was draining out of her. The last thing Blake could hear was an echo:

"So, what will it be? Your friend or the relic?"

* * *

Cliffhanger! Would you like a part two of this drabble? Tell me in the reviews! I accept requests and ideas.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Krystal501:** Hope you enjoyed Adam's revenge (or at least his initial plan). Feel free to share your opinion about this drabble and a possible second part ending my version of Volume 6.

 **Guest:** Thanks for voting! Sorry for the little inconvenience.

 **Guest:** Thank you very much! All the reviews are a reason to keep writing. Next one is option #1.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Hello again! Thanks for giving your opinion. What did you think about my plot for Volume 6? Next one will be option #1.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** I'm really glad you liked how your petition turned out! I know it was long and it also took forever to write. Anyways, I'm satisfied with the result and also happy that you're satisfied too.

 **The Wizardous Magicman:** Welcome to this collection and thank you for voting. Next one is option #1.

Read you all next week!

Frozenheart7


	24. Halloween Special

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Halloween Special

 **Summary:** The night of the monsters, Halloween, is a perfect occasion for the faunus to go out unnoticed. Many of them stay home and don't support the festivity as taking advantage of that freedom would place them in a lower position. Nevertheless, others decide to go out and do crazy things they wouldn't do during a normal night as faunus. In such mysterious night, will the events take another turn nobody expected?

 **Rating:** T+

 **A/N:** This drabble is a Halloween special surprise for all of you readers! I've also used ideas you readers requested a while ago like the one that a fortune teller tells Blake and Adam's future. I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

"BOO!" She yelled, coming out from the red bushes.

Adam turned and saw Blake expectantly waiting for him to scream, jump or be scared, but none of those happened. it was impossible to surprise Adam, even in the night of the beasts.

"Was that supposed to startle me?" Adam asked.

"Is how any person would react."

"Well, I'm not any person. Tonight I'm a demon." He explained, pointing at his black horns. The black and red colors on his clothes made him really seem a demon, but they were nothing far from usual he used to wear. "Well, are you ready to go? That's your costume for tonight?"

Adam stared at Blake. She wasn't hiding her cat ears anymore and her golden eyes shone in the darkness. She was dressed in a black attire, tightly fit in her body. She even had a fluffy tail to complete her costume and in her face she had drawn black whiskers. Dressed as a cat, how original! She had to admit it, Adam had a better costume than her despite also using his faunus traits.

"Don't complain and tell me: What's your plan for tonight?" She asked.

"We have an appointment and then we'll have a feast." Blake looked at both hands of Adam, he wasn't wearing any basket for a picnic.

"A feast? What will we eat?" Adam smirked and leaned towards Blake until their foreheads were almost touching, then he replied: "Raw kitten."

Blake couldn't escape Adam's lustful intentions and let him kiss her hard. He roughly caressed her mouth with his tongue and when the kiss was almost over, gently bit her lower lip, leaving a slight mark of his teeth.

"Adam…" Blake whispered, surprised, touching the ache on her lips.

"What? I'm a very horny demon." He replied, tightening her waist, feeling her flesh. "Later we can play trick or treat, darling. Now we have to go or we will be late."

Blake let Adam guide her through the darkness until the limit where the Forever Fall Forest and the city met. There they walked for a few minutes following the red leaves until they found a signal with a purple neon light.

"Fortune Teller?" Blake read and stared at Adam. "Are we really going to see a fortune teller?"

Adam was a cage full of surprises, she didn't know he believed in this kind of mystical stuff. Of course, Remnant was a magical place where strange things and magical legends existed… But a person who could tell the future seemed too fantastic to believe in it. Nevertheless, Blake kept her mind open since she had never seen a fortune teller. Maybe the predictions would surprise them.

The path that led to the small dark purple tent was made of leaves and trunks, a natural tunnel. There were fireflies illuminating the way until the couple stumbled upon the mysterious lair. Adam stepped forward to enter but Blake hesitated, holding him back since she had been grabbing his arm.

"Are you sure this is safe? How do you…?" Blake started asking, but Adam didn't let her continue.

"Blake, trust me and relax. The woman is wise." He said. It seemed that Adam knew who they were going to see.

Belladonna nodded and Adam parted the curtain that made the function of a door for her to come in. With the movement a loud bell rang until Adam passed inside and closed the cloth behind them. Blake leaned closer as they got used to the candlelight. At the bottom of the dark tent, there was an old woman with a skull. She was blind and her hair was white and braided. She didn't seem from the kingdom of Vale.

"Welcome, young couple." The old lady said. She held out her hand to Blake and Adam, pointing at the two chairs in front of a round table covered with a purple doily. "Don't be afraid, sit down, sit down.'

Belladonna sat and unconsciously dragged the chair closer to where Adam was sitting. Their hands were locked together and he was smirking, enjoying his lovely girlfriend being so scared. Blake couldn't get used to the smell of incense and the sight of the crystal ball and the tarot deck in the table really made her feel awkward.

"I sense some nervousness." The fortune teller said, making Blake shiver. "Don't be afraid. My name is Maria Calavera, now, let me hear your voices." She said since she was blind.

Blake stared at Adam, motioning for him to start talking. The bull faunus rolled his eyes and cleared his throat.

"My name is Adam and the young lady accompanying me is my partner." He introduced and waited for Blake to speak. "I'm Blake."

The old woman started laughing almost maniacally, starting to frighten the cat faunus.

"Excuse my enthusiasm. It has been a while since I hadn't had a visit so promising." The fortune teller explained. "Most of the people who come here are a disgrace and search for immediate solutions on my words… Finally someone who doesn't seem to be troubled by much."

The faunus cause was the only burden on Blake and Adam but apart from that they didn't have more problems. They guessed Miss. Calavera referred to problematic persons like unfortunate widows or indebted men.

"We just came here to hear what you have to say." Blake intervened, recovering some courage.

"That's why I'm here, young lady. If you want true predictions about your future place your hands on the crystal ball and I'll reveal it."

The fortune teller placed her hands on the crystal ball, waiting for them to put them too. Blake let go of Adam hand and placed hers, Adam did the same and both waited. The old woman didn't move and stayed silent for a minute. The ball was crystal, no images reflected on it but their hands were starting to burn. Blake felt the pain of the excessive warmth but didn't let go, not until the wise woman yelled, feeling the same pain as the young faunus couple.

"What happened?!" Adam asked, rubbing his hands to make the painful tingling go away. Blake had also burn marks on her palm and the wise woman submerged them on a bucket full of water beside her.

"It happened that you two are contrary forces." The old woman spoke, she seemed agitated.

"What do you mean-...?" Blake asked, worried.

"You may now cohabitate but your destiny upholds a greater conflict. One of you will overpower the other in a great battle for Remnant's domain." Maria Calavera explained, almost hyperventilating.

"You mean we won't last together as a couple?" Blake asked again. She seemed to be at the edge of her emotions.

"I mean more than that, ignorant girl! Your fate is determined by each other and the stronger will win and destroy the other!" Calavera said excitedly.

"I love Blake and I would never hurt her intentionally. Explain yourself better." If Blake was sad, Adam was angry.

"Your heart filled with love soon will turn into rage over her. Don't swear you won't hurt her, even her loved ones will be in danger because of you." Maria Calavera sentenced, pointing at Adam with her thin finger. "You will become a force of great evil-..." Continued the fortune teller.

"Let's go Adam." Blake begged, she was trembling. The old woman kept screaming things that didn't make sense for them. "Please, I want to get out of here." She said, pulling Adam's arm. He was too shocked to react at Miss Calavera's words and her girlfriend's fear.

"Now you may run from your future but soon you'll be running from him, young girl!" Maria turned and spoke to Blake.

Belladonna felt so cornered that didn't even wait for Adam and ran out from the tent. Taurus got up too and glanced at the burn marks in his palm, they got worse. When he raised his sight he found the skull in front of his face.

"May the gods protect us when you join the dark path." Maria prayed.

The pain on his hands made Adam understand that he was no longer welcome inside the fortune teller's tent. He got out and found himself in the complete darkness, even the fireflies flew away from him. His chest ached and Blake was nowhere to be found.

"Blake!" He yelled, running down the path made of tree branches. She didn't reply and Adam kept looking. When he got out of the path and was a the crossroad where the signal led the way he allowed himself to panic. "My love! Please, come here!"

He heard the sound of branches being stepped too heavily for someone petite like Blake. His negativity would attract Grimm if he didn't find Blake soon. He didn't even have his weapon with him so all he had left were his faunus instincts.

He tried to smell the scents of the forest and closed his eyes, stepping on all directions until he recognized the sweet vanilla scent of his lover. He followed the path of the scent unconditionally until he stumbled upon strange rocks. He wiped the dust and the vegetation off those weird rocks and found that those weren't ordinary stones but graves. He was in an ancient graveyard.

"Blake, come back to me!" Adam shouted, being overwhelmed by the wicked atmosphere.

He remained silent, the wind as only companion. Slowly, a weak cry echoed through the forest. Blake was close but she didn't want to be found. Adam had to stay quiet and searched for her through that graveyard. The small sobs lead him behind a destroyed wall, which the cat faunus had been using as a temporal hideout.

"Blake." He whispered in a cut breath. "Oh, Blake, don't run away from me nevermore, understood?" He begged, embracing the curled body of his lover.

She was still shaking from the impression of the old lady's predictions. It was a terrible future that Blake didn't want to come but she couldn't run away from it nor Adam. She weakly held onto Taurus' arms and let his soft caresses comfort her.

"Shhh… It's okay. You were just scared." Adam said, Blake had the small doubt that he was talking to himself. "Nothing the woman has told us is going to happen."

"How are you so sure?!" Belladonna yelled while shaking. Adam had never seen her so altered.

"I can't understand why you believed her. Do you really imagine us being enemies and fighting in a war that holds Remnant's fate?" Taurus almost forced her to look up at him. "Darling, think about it. Do you really think it is possible?"

Blake stopped the crying and sat in a more comfortable position, more open. Adam kneeled on the floor before her to be at the same height. Belladonna breathed unstably twice and then tried to remain calm. She felt cornered and ran away but now she didn't need to because Adam was with her. The last words of the fortune teller echoed in her mind: She would be running from Adam. But what could bring the couple such an unfortunate fate?

"How could she invent such story?" Blake asked. "I don't think she was lying. If she were she would have told us that we would have children and an own house in the future... It would have been easier to believe!" Adam nodded, comprehending what his lover meant.

"Maybe she just wanted to scare us because we are faunus." Was the first reason that came to Adam's mind.

"There is no way she could know it, she is blind!" Belladonna remarked.

Taurus realized it and remained silent, thinking about what could have revealed such an awful future. None of them knew what to believe but the prediction at that moment didn't seem an option. While Blake calmed down and relaxed, Adam got up and looked around the graveyard. The mist was filling the ambiance and it was absolutely silent, nobody could be heard. It was strange, they were still in the nearest part of the Forever Fall forest, close to the city. Adam knew a lot about the forest but never managed to find this place.

"How did you find the graveyard? Have you been here before?" Adam asked at Blake.

"No, I've never seen this before." Belladonna replied, now observing calmly the strange place she found. "I was just running to return at the headquarter, I didn't know there was a graveyard here." She explained.

Taurus held out his hand at Blake, staring at the perimeter and waited for her to hold it. A few seconds later he heard her getting up from the floor covered in ruby leaves and the coldness got a grip on his palm. The burn marks were gone now, the pain was just a slight tingling sensation. How strange was everything!

"This must be an ancient sanctuary of a fallen kingdom. Just like the pillars in the emerald forest." Adam guessed, trying to remember the old civilizations of Remnant he learned at school…Those were memories too old to remember anything.

The couple kept walking, without realizing it they got deeper in the graveyard, finding stones that were conserved in perfect state. Blake cleaned the spiderwebs, dust, and vegetation off the rocks to read the inscriptions. Most of them weren't recognizable and some even had strange symbols carved. While Adam kept wandering around, when Blake was about to abandon the hopeless work of trying to read names of the dead, she found a bigger stone.

"Adam! Look!" She said, pointing at the stone, it was better conserved than the others and the language the inscription was written was the same they spoke.

"The angel of death will arrive when the bell rings thrice." Taurus read out loud.

"What does it mean?" The cat faunus asked and grabbed his arm to stay close to him since she felt a sudden coldness.

"It doesn't sound too inviting…" He commented, feeling his mate's warmth consuming him. "Is something wrong, Blake?"

"No, it's just that I'm cold." Belladonna confessed with her cat ears folded down.

"Do you want me to warm you up?" Adam said, his hand descending from her lower back to her buttocks. "I promised you a feast."

Belladonna unconsciously stepped closer to him: "It's not a feast for me if I'm the one being eaten." She pointed out, playing Adam's game for a while.

"Well, I just wanted to spend time with you these evening without anybody's judgment." The humans, White Fang members and random people on the streets judgment, he referred while massaging her neck softly. "I need my dose of love from time to time, darling."

Blake smiled because of the last comment and let Adam kiss her lips softly, getting on her tiptoes to reach his mouth better. She couldn't imagine a life without Adam, she would be lost, Blake was sure she would never leave him and less become his enemy and would dare to say that he felt the same way. Adam placed his lips on her neck, lifting her chin upwards to have better access. His warm breath caused tingles.

"Oh, you can be so cheesy when you want something…" Blake whispered, sighing in bliss.

Adam stopped the kisses and stared at his couple. By the way she looked at him, how she bit her lips and the unstable position of her nervous feet made him know that she craved more from him. He also was uncomfortable bending down to kiss her and Blake knew it so she made the intention to lay down on the floor.

"Wait." Adam ordered and took off his jacket, spreading it on the floor. Blake stared surprised at that detail, they both had been laying on the floor and nobody complained. He guessed her thoughts and explained himself: "I don't want you to be cold."

Blake giggled softly. Adam stared hard at her until she stopped. As an apology she kissed his cheek, the passion suddenly returning to both of them.

Belladonna was soon laying over the jacket with Adam on top of her, the sound of the kissing muffling a distant bell that rang.

He whispered sweet words at her that only served to excite her further. Both desired each other's warmth and Adam was decided to explore further under Blake's costume. When they both made a short stop to breathe, Blake commented:

"Doing this in a graveyard is so messed up." She commented, caressing Adam's cheek.

"It only turns me on more…" He confessed and kissed the spot behind Blake's ear that made her laugh because of the tingles.

The bell rang a second time, now it sounded closer. Blake stopped laughing and softly pushed Adam away. She looked side to side but saw only mist.

"Did you hear it?" Belladonna asked, still trying to figure in what direction the sound came.

Adam noticed Blake's cat ears twitching. When it was about sound everybody knew a faunus with ears as heritage couldn't be wrong. If Blake hears something it meant definitely there was someone out there. Taurus remained silent and let his pupil more mobility but that didn't help her. When Adam saw the defeat glance of the cat faunus he dared to spoke:

"What was it?!"

"A distant echo of a metallic sound… I couldn't hear it well the moment it sounded, I just perceived the echoes." Blake answered, she seemed very worried.

"Do you want to go?" Adam asked, knowing that she wouldn't dare to propose it because in the fortune teller's lair it had been her also the one that suggested to leave.

"It will be better. We can continue in our dorm." She tried to relieve the tension of the moment with the last sentence but not even in her mouth it sounded convincing.

Adam got up and when Blake did the same grabbed his jacket from the floor and wiped the earth, dust, and dirt away. He put the jacket on and saw how Blake was really impatient to go.

"Darling, calm down. It was probably just a Grimm." Adam tried to calm her down, softly kissing her forehead. Blake didn't take her eyes off the mist.

"But the inscription on that stone…" She muttered and then opened her eyes in fear. "Adam, what I heard was an echo of a bell ringing!" She sentenced, reading again the inscription on the stone.

"Love… I don't know what to say." Adam was very incredulous with superstitions and legends. If he couldn't see it, he wouldn't believe it. "Are you sure it was a bell ringing? You know, the inscription must be for a popular legend or a fantasy quote…."

"I trust my hearing." Blake objected, crossing her arms over her chest. "This kingdom may have fallen but the magic lasts forever."

"Do you really believe in this so-called 'The angel of death'?" Adam smirked. "What if it is a legendary Grimm?"

"I don't know, okay?" She said, too nervous to think straight. "Let's just leave, please."

At that exact moment, when Blake and Adam kept silence for a few seconds, the bell rang for the third time. Blake looked terrified at Adam, he couldn't deny it, it had been clearly a metallic bell.

"We better go now…" Taurus said.

He held Blake's hand and started to walk forward but she didn't move. At her strange behavior, Adam turned to see what was keeping her from leaving. She was petrified looking at the mist, she had better vision in the darkness than him so at first Adam couldn't see what she was seeing.

Advancing through the fog, a dark figure with great wings was groaning deep. The only thing Taurus could see were its glowing eyes. The bell rang again and again.

"Run!" Adam ordered, Blake didn't hesitate and followed him until they too disappeared in the darkness of the forest.

Once the graveyard was lonely again, Ilia dropped the bell and the bushes that had the same form of wings. She changed the dark colors to her normal color scheme, healthy chameleon skin.

"This way they will learn to respect death." Ilia said, sighing while thinking that using such night to do crazy things wasn't appropriate.

Amitola walked in the same direction the couple disappeared. They would remember to invite her out too next time since they were all friends. And Blake surely would tell her the anecdote of the angel of the death next time they met.

A bell rang in the distance, Ilia turned to see the ancient graveyard but it has disappeared. Soon, she joined their friends and ran away.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you enjoyed this drabble, a mix of Halloween and horror thematic, comedy and references at the canon (the fortune teller predictions, Maria Calavera identity and the actual situation of Blake and Adam in the last volumes).

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Karvost:** So nice to hear from you! Thank you, my English has improved a lot too, at least my grades did. Thank you for your kind words, see you soon!

 **Sakura:** There will be much fluff in future drabbles. If you have a certain idea, leave it in a review and I'll see what I can do!

 **Krystal501:** I'll be doing a part 2 of Adam's revenge but it's yet to be planned. I'll be informing all of you about the next drabbles I'll be posting in future polls.

 **The Wizardrous Magician:** Ninja Vanish! Hahahahaha, well I'm glad to hear that all of you would like a part 2, it will be in process soon.

 **Noa:** Adam's revenge part 2 will be soon in process. Thank you for giving your opinion.

 **merindinoemiliano:** Hello again, good friend! I finally got all the scenes planned for your petition "Adam Brawnen" and the best part from the AU will be a small rivalry between brother and sister to gain Blake's attention and affection. I'm sure you'll like it! Read you soon!

Frozenheart7


	25. Crossroads of destiny

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Crossroads of destiny

 **Rating:** K+

 **Summary:** Blake and Adam reencounter after many years after he left Blake and the island to join the White Fang in the human kingdoms. They have changed and their feelings too, but how will they react when they meet again in a White Fang party?

 **A/N:** As you see, this was the less voted option in the poll I made a few weeks ago. I changed the title from 'Unexpected Reencounter' to Crossroads of Destiny'.

The options of the last poll are all posted so down below at the end of the chapter you will find the answers to the reviews and a new poll to vote which drabble I should post next.

Expect fluff and angst mixed all together!

* * *

The garden of the Belladonna's had never been so majestuous before. There were flowers everywhere, cut in symmetrical shapes and torches all around to illuminate the night. With her help and Kali's talent, mother and daughter had managed to make the place be captivating. The eyes of the guests to the event couldn't lie. Despite being them mere soldiers of the White Fang, the little sensitivity they had left was shown by their surprised faces when saw that the garden was so beautiful. Maybe it was because they were back home after a long struggle in the human kingdoms. That was why they were in the chieftain's garden, to be promoted for their efforts.

"Go eat something from the buffet, sweety. Have fun." Kali said to her daughter, who felt out of place being surrounded by so many strangers.

She had no other option. Her father was too busy congratulating personally the faunus fighters and her mother was meant to be by their side. Maybe the crowded garden wasn't a bad idea after all, Blake could wander around without dragging much attention. Well, if it weren't for that new dress her mother had bought for her with illusion and she was forced to put on. It was still difficult to walk in the grass with high heel shoes. Struggling, Blake managed to reach for the table that had some drinks on it. She filled a glass with fruit juice and thought for a while if she should add some alcohol just to make the night more fun.

Suddenly, a hand was placed on her shoulder. Belladonna immediately left the alcohol bottle on the table again and turned faking a smile, thinking it was her father who would scold her for even considering drinking alcohol in an official act. Nevertheless, who she found made her heart pound harder than the speculated situation.

"A-Adam?"

* * *

 _Adam was too focused on his duty that forgot Blake being on the same room as him. It had been like that lately, but their relationship was still the same when they met casually. Belladonna stared at him from the sofa while he tried to print some papers related with the White Fang. Taurus gave her a quick glance and smiled. The shine on her eyes reminded him of a loyal dog waiting for its owner. Nevertheless, it was him that had to come into her dad's office to take care of the paperwork._

" _Would you like to have some tea with me when you finish?" She asked sweetly._

 _Adam put the paper in the printer and used the computer to download the formulary. He spent a few seconds doing so and then reminded his friend's words._

" _Coffee is better." He replied, trying to figure out how Ghira's computer worked. "If you don't mind preparing me one, of course."_

" _Alright. Let me get it for you." Belladonna sentenced getting up from the sofa. "I'll let you work in peace meanwhile."_

 _Adam muttered a low 'thanks' and didn't take his eyes off Blake until she left her father's office. Then his sight rested on the keyboard as he read the first lines of the letter he had written before emailing it to the Vale branch leader._

" _I'd like to express the reasons for my sudden decision: I wish to be moved to another faction of the organization because there's not much work to do in the Menagerie brotherhood. I'm trained and qualified to be in human kingdoms to fight for our rights and I'd feel more helpful in the first line of the rallies in the big cities."_

 _That letter, of course, had to be accompanied with the document that he had just printed where he had to write all his personal information down. Luckily, his petition would be accepted a few days after his 16th birthday, his coming of age. He pressed the send key knowing that it would mean leaving behind all he had in the island: Blake._

 _Although he didn't express himself enough, he cared deeply for his childhood friend. And she was very fond of him as well. She knew something wasn't right and Adam's didn't like to admit that he was absent during their afternoons together. Seeing her only reminded him that one day he would have to leave and say goodbye. But he also didn't want to start enjoying too much their time together and showing affection because that would result even more suspicious. Nevertheless, he could say that Blake had been the one more affectionate despite being shy. She was too embarrassed to speak freely and Adam too cold to show his emotions._

 _Taurus continued thinking in a cycle about his decisions while writing in the formulary. He was young and it was the right time to leave his homeland and join the faunus fight. Nothing could hold him back, not even Blake._

 _The cat faunus entered the room with the tea tray in one hand, trying to close the door as silently as possible. Adam was too busy to notice her presence as it happened lately. Stealthily she left the tray on the table and walled slow towards his best friend in order to sneak and watch what he was doing. Her female senses couldn't be wrong, an important decision was being made. She had known Adam for so many years and he had never behaved so suspiciously. She was pretty upset that he didn't share his thoughts with her. They had never held any secrets from each other and she feared their relationship to become colder._

" _I can smell your scent kilometers away, Blake." Adam suddenly said, hiding the document and facing her. "Are you training to be a ninja?"_

 _The only way to stop Blake from doing something was making her feel embarrassed about herself. Adam's words made her feel guilty as he knew she was trying to spy on him and that was just awful._

" _I just wanted to scare you." Blake lied with blush on her cheeks, looking away or he couldn't lie._

" _What are you so concerned about?" He asked, this time without a smile. "This is confidential information of the Menagerie brotherhood, I'm not planning a murder." He said, joking to make the lie be lighter._

 _Belladonna felt her heart pounding. He didn't hesitate in lying to her, something Blake felt awful to do. As much as he clarified the situation she knew something was wrong. But if he had told her yet nothing would make him do it at that moment neither._

 _Adam saw the cat faunus folding her ears in shame and looking down. She looked like a scolded child who was regretting her naughty actions. Nevertheless, she was just a young teenager and despite her mind being developed, part of her was still a child._

" _Let's relax for a while and enjoy our drinks, shall we?" He said, rubbing slightly her arm to cheer her up._

 _When Blake looked up the first thing she saw was Adam's warm smile and as silly as that was, it was the only thing that could make her worries go away. He held her hand and made her follow him to try and get the incognita out of her mind. He almost shoved her down the sofa and sat next to her, closer than he had never sat. That was his only resource, make her feel awkward so she couldn't think straight. And of course, the change from sitting to the frontal seat to resting beside her was obvious and Blake immediately felt overwhelmed to have all his attention on her._

 _The chamomile tea was the only thing that could calm her down temporarily. After a few sips, she could look straight into Adam's eyes again and control the heavy pounding of her heart._

" _I don't understand why you like coffee." The cat faunus spoke to break the ice._

" _Give it a try, you'll become an addict." Adam insisted, handing out his own cup._

 _Belladonna hesitated and left the tea back on the tray before getting a hold of Adam's black coffee. It burned but had two ice cubes inside, something Blake couldn't comprehend but did without questioning him. All to please him._

 _Her lips met the bitter caffeine and she felt the urge to throw up. Instead, Blake left the cup on the table and made a disgusted face, swallowing down the small sip of coffee she took. Taurus laughed at her and Belladonna wanted to be colder and separate herself from him. But then, instead of keeping making fun of her coldly, Adam touched her._

 _With one hand placed under her chin holding her face steady, his fingers wiped off the rests of coffee dust in the corner of her mouth. Instead of stopping once she was clean, he kept caressing her lips, playfully pulling her lower lip down to cause a reaction on her. Belladonna felt his warmth, the same temperature as the awful coffee she had tasted. But Adam's touch didn't feel awful, it was comforting. So was his hot breath on her forehead._

 _When their eyes had been locked together too much time, Adam moved his hands to the tea tray and got up. Usually, he liked to tease Blake that way but now it seemed to have another effect on him. He felt the urge to get out of there._

" _I'm going to return this to the kitchen." Adam announced, disappearing quickly behind the door._

 _Blake stayed on her place, sitting as her fingers touched the spot his warmth had been. There was her heart again, skipping a beat when she realized why she felt these sensations._

 _The computer beeped and got Blake's attention immediately. She could give a peek at what Adam was writing before and held secretly. She looked around and saw Adam's silhouette outside, he seemed to be taking a break. Maybe he felt the same sensation as her when they touched each other. Blake prayed for Adam to stay outside breathing fresh air for a minute more and walked towards the computer. She clicked on the hidden window and the letter to the Vale faction leader was shown before her eyes._

 _Taurus entered Ghira's office as if everything was in order. His emotions weren't in order so he took a so much needed minute to relax outside. Nevertheless, when he entered, his heart skipped a beat. Blake was sitting in front of the computer and had both hands covering her face._

" _Blake…" He said walking towards her. "I know I should have told you b-but…"_

" _Congratulations." Belladonna suddenly said, uncovering her face and containing her tears. She got up but didn't have enough courage to stare him in the eye. "They replied to your letter. You can leave this damned island you hate so much!"_

 _Taurus had never heard speak with so much sorrow before. Her delicate voice cracked and she was obviously at the edge of crying. He had hidden everything to not hurt her and it only caused the contrary effect. He didn't care about the authorization to leave he had just received._

" _Blake…" He said again, trying to reach for her and comfort her._

" _Don't touch me!" She yelled, more hurt than furious. Adam didn't obey so Blake ended pushing him backward with a strength she didn't even know she had. "Leave me alone."_

 _Adam knew he was losing Blake. He had never kept something from her so he also never knew if that would upset her. He had the clear answer right before his eyes. Belladonna saw that he didn't take her words seriously so she made an effort and stared into Adam's eyes saying:_

" _Get out of here." But it didn't cause any effect on him, who stayed frozen._

 _Taurus didn't even flinch and made a step forward to trap her between him and the desk. Blake broke the eye contact and made a step behind, her back touching the edge of the table._

" _You have to understand, Blake." He said, trying to calm her. Deep down he didn't know how to continue as he was as speechless as her. He would have continued speaking but Blake looked up at him and that made his skin crawl._

" _I don't care where you go! Leave!" She sentenced. Taurus couldn't believe her. "I don't want to see you again."_

 _Taurus made a few steps backward and tried to process the information. Before he could figure out why Blake was behaving like that, she left. Blake ran outside the office, knowing her tears could no longer be hidden._

 _What Adam couldn't believe was that she didn't even come to the docks to say goodbye. He guessed all she wanted was to forget him. And he left Menagerie with that thorn nailed in his heart._

* * *

"I wasn't sure if it was you." Taurus said, taking his hand off her shoulder to not creep her out. "You have grown a lot, Blake. I almost can't believe my eyes."

Belladonna ignored the compliments coming from her former best friend. The guilt was still on her after not saying a proper goodbye to him when she left. She had been too in love to think about losing him again. But she was sure that Adam was hurt too for everything that happened.

Taurus was too mesmerized to even be worried about Blake not saying anything to him. Her body had changed a lot and that purple dress only remarked the beautiful curves she had developed. And her face was no longer the same of a child, even without the slight makeup she was wearing he could tell her lips got bigger and her eyes were more mature. And for last her hair, it had grown so much. That was why she had it tied up in a high ponytail.

"You are here…" Blake finally managed to say.

How could she speak to him the way they used to if their friendship had ended so bad in the past? She was dying to hug him but the regret didn't allow her to take the necessary steps forward to approach him.

"It seems like you have seen a ghost." Taurus tried to joke, not sounding too tense but deep down worried about Blake's reaction.

"I thought I had lost you…" She said, her voice unstable and her teeth biting her lower lip, a sign of anxiety.

Adam embraced her warmly, now knowing for sure that she wasn't angry to see him again, just sad because he had left her. When he first left he couldn't understand why Blake reacted so violently to the truth. But with some time to cold things out, he found the real reason behind her reaction.

"I missed you a lot." Taurus said, caressing her back in circles and enjoying the sweet smell of her scent.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, sinking her face in Adam's strong chest with sorrow. He was so changed too. With only touching she could feel how strong he had become these years away…

"Forget it, Blake. Let's pretend as if nothing happened." Adam said, taking some distance between them to stare at her and make sure that she understood the message. "We both did something wrong, it's not your fault."

Belladonna stayed silent and looked away. She felt vulnerable and helpless in front of him. Maybe it was for her new appearance. His black horns had grown at the size of an adult faunus, he was taller and stronger and she looked small beside him. That only made her feel defenseless.

"Have you seen my father yet?" She asked, trying to forget her insecurities.

"Yes. He told me to come and catch up with you."

Adam omitted the part when he scolded him as a protective father would. Of course he had hurt Blake but despite that Ghira insisted that he had to meet Blake again after all that time. Taurus waited for her to reply something but she was speechless, her brain too busy processing all the information to think about a topic to speak for a while.

"Come with me, Blake." Adam suddenly said, scaring the cat faunus, making her think that he meant leaving Menagerie and moving to the human kingdoms. He held out his hand for her seeing her worried expression. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Right." Blake said, faking a smile and looking around before following Adam, making sure that nobody saw them getting inside the house.

Belladonna remained silent, not quite sure about how she felt about their reencounter. Of course she was glad to meet him again but she felt ashamed for what she did. She didn't even go to say goodbye to him when he left the island. She yelled at him and that was their last memory together until that day. Adam guided her upstairs to the balcony on top of the house. When they were younger they used to go there and spend time on the roof talking about everything and anything.

"Do you remember how much time we used to spend here?" Adam said, looking up at the roof. "I'll help you climb, come on."

Blake stared at him surprised, not expecting Adam to propose remembering old memories.

"Okay." Blake said, taking off her shoes. "But I don't need your help anymore."

The cat faunus jumped up, got a hold on the edge of the roof and succeeded in pulling her body up. Adam smirked and once Blake was sitting on the rooftop, he made a high jump and reached to be beside her without even making an effort. Belladonna camouflaged her surprise and stared at the sky, the stars shone brightly.

"I really needed to apologize, Adam." Blake said, wanting to relieve her guilt and enjoy Adan's company again. "I acted selfishly and I was immature. You are free to do whatever you want with your life. It's just that… It took me by surprise and shutting you out was the only thing I thought that could stop the anger I was holding towards you."

"Don't say you're sorry again. It happened a while ago, now we have changed." He assured.

Belladonna sat on his knees and faced him. Now she felt capable of looking at him. She had to make sure he didn't hold anything against her.

"But will you forgive me?" Blake insisted, wanting to hear the exact words that would bring her peace of mind.

"I never blamed you. Especially when I found out why you acted that way." Adam started, holding her hand and noticing how cold she was. He needed to express himself too and that was the right moment to tell her. "Emotions can't be controlled. If I had known what you felt for me I would have handled the situation differently."

Blake opened her eyes wide. How did he know that she was in love with him if she didn't even realize it until it was too late? The surprise became shyness and a slight blush stained her pale cheeks. Blake felt the urge to look down but Adam didn't allow her, lifting her chin up.

"I was in love with you too, Blake. You had no idea how difficult it was to make such decision. But I wanted to focus on making the world a better place so maybe someday you could join me and leave the island" He explained.

"A-Adam…" Blake muttered, surprised by his words. If she had known…

"I don't know if it is too late, Blake." Taurus continued.

"Too late for what?" She asked.

Adam remained silent and stared down at her lips, then back at her eyes. Blake's chest trembled as he got closer. Everything had changed so much in one night. She wasn't expecting any of that and hated when she didn't have the control of the situation.

"Adam, no…" She whispered when their foreheads were touching.

"Shh…"

Taurus made her hush by pressing his lips against hers. Blake didn't resist and closed her eyes to enjoy her first kiss. It was sweet and patient, without any urge, just showing affection. He pulled Blake closer and she embraced his neck as his tongue asked to go further. For a moment, Blake pulled away from him to stare into his eyes and seeing how much love was on his glance, she took the initiative and started a round of soft kisses that would make the guilt go away completely.

Adam's hands traveled his way up Blake's smooth legs as the kissing continued. He had longed for her for so many years and she finally was with him. His feelings for her never vanished and he could tell hers neither. Nevertheless, when Adam reached to explore more of Blake, she pulled away from him to recover some breath. They rested for a few seconds but when Adam approached again, Blake pushed his chest backward.

"This can't be, Adam." Belladonna said, almost breathless. "You'll leave and I don't want to lose you again."

"That's the same reason why you reacted that way the night you found out I would leave." Taurus replied. "Our feelings are mutual, why can't we enjoy tonight?"

"Because I'm not like you. You chose to leave the island, I'm in the same right to chose not to be tied to you." Blake replied coldly. "If we mate it only would make things worse."

Blake's sharp election of words made Adam shiver. She had much more personality, she was no longer a dependent little girl. She had learned to protect herself and Adam knew she was making the right decision. Nevertheless, he felt that if he left he couldn't erase her from his mind.

"And if I stayed?" Taurus whispered, looking at Menagerie lights. Then he turned to stare at Belladonna's expression.

"Adam, please, don't play with me." He reached for her but Blake moved backward. "We both know that I won't leave Menagerie and you won't stay."

The cat faunus was too intelligent to fall for weak promises. Adam didn't mean her any harm but such unexpected surprises had shooked them both and thinking straight was more difficult than ever. Blake was now the one staring at the horizon and he took advantage of the distraction to stare at her. Discreetly, Blake warmed herself with her hands, rubbing her arms. She was cold, Adam could notice.

The bull faunus took off his coat and slightly approached Blake to place it over her shoulders. She accepted the jacket but instead of keeping it over her she put it on. The coat was large and it covered her dress and legs up to the knees. The cloth smelled of Adam, it was clean but still, his scent was on it. He noticed her smelling his clothes, knowing that would only cause her to want to be close to him. Meanwhile, he would lay down and stare at the sky.

As he expected, just a few minutes later, Blake mimicked him and laid on the roof, getting closer to him.

"How are the human kingdoms?" She asked, just to break the awkward silence. She wanted to do something productive or she would return down to the garden, where her father would be searching for her surely.

"Big and bright." Adam didn't need much time to think about his answer. "Not as crowded as here. The air isn't as pure as the one here but you certainly feel alive there."

Belladonna was a little hurt when heard his explanation. He didn't seem to care about her when he left and that was what caused her more pain than anything. He had never written but now that he was back it all seemed as if his world spun around her. She felt used and betrayed but those emotions were all her responsibility.

Blake turned to see Adam and put her head under his arm. He knew she was feeling humiliated for still wanting him despite not being in love with him anymore. She could just picture him as a friend, but not as a lover as she used to dream about before him leaving. Taurus pulled her closer until her head was under his chin. He had longed for a hug and luckily Blake found the cuddling pretty comforting so she didn't move.

They spent the time cuddling like that, Blake with his coat on and Adam staring at the nightly sky. None of them spoke, just enjoyed their company in a way that both thought would hurt less when he left and she stayed. Being so quiet, the cat faunus slowly started to fall asleep and Adam found the sight too adorable to recommend her to get up and go to her room to rest. He also wanted to avoid saying goodbye in a way, now the roles were reversed.

Once Adam made sure Blake was deeply asleep, he carefully got up and lifted her petite body. He jumped down from the roof to the balcony of her dorm and entered to leave her properly. The bedsheets sank with Blake as he left her on her bed. He also decided to leave his coat om her so she could remember him and not mistake that night with just a lucid dream.

Taurus stared down at her and bent over to place a sweet kiss on her forehead, making her shiver on her sleep. He would leave before dawn back to Vale and for then, she would still be asleep.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Oh, I have such cool things for your drabble! You can help me with one thing: propose some titles, please. I'm going insane trying to title the drabble.

 **emmaleewhittaker** : Glad you liked them, dear. I'm also working on a version from Volumes 1 to 3 with Adam sneaking into Beacon with a very malevolous plan and trying to make Blake his backup inside the academy. You suggested something similar a while ago. Sounds good?

 **TheBritishRose:** I'm planning a second part for Adam's revenge Drabble, I'll give more details on next polls when I start writing it.

Poll: Which drabble should I post next?

There are two options (both are mostly angst):

#1 Hate's seed: Remember when I posted the drabble 'Pregnancy test' and I commented in the end to write another version with different circumstances of the pregnancy? Problems, Adam still in the White Fang and Blake in Beacon carrying his child. Both having to do an arrangement over the baby growing inside Blake. If you go to that drabble you can read the exact details of the idea I gave. This option is not as bitter as the next one, it contains also moments of fluff and sadness.

#2 Tainted love: A drabble full of arguments, guilt, blood, manipulations, tears and secret schemes. A heavy Tauradonna version with a storyline nearest to the actual canon, showing a violent and possessive Adam and his toxic behavior towards Blake, who is between the sword and the wall and doesn't know what to do. Inspired by the song Tainted Love (search for Marta and Natalia's version OT) and Last Day of Magic by The Kills. Not fluff nor romance, a lot of angst and the darkest face of Adam being exposed.

Vote in the reviews! It's free and I read all of them!


	26. Tainted love (part I)

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Tainted love

 **A/N:** Inspired by the video clip Last Day of Magic the song by The Kills. The lyrics from tainted love fits so well this bitter drabble that I decided to use part of the lyrics and name the drabble after that song.

I'm really glad everybody voted this second option in the last poll.

 **Rating:** M+ (abuse, sexual references, death, blood...)

* * *

 _Sometimes I feel I've got to run away  
I've got to get away  
From the pain you drive into the heart of me.  
The love we share seems to go nowhere  
And I've lost my light for I toss and turn, I can't sleep at night.  
Once I ran to you  
now I'll run from you  
This tainted love you've given -  
I give you all a girl could give you.  
Take my tears and that's not nearly all._

 _Tainted love_

* * *

The rails of the train shook intensively since they were going too fast. None of them had enough knowledge to slow down the train, Blake didn't even understand why Adam had ordered her to go and try to do it if the buttons seemed all the same for her. Defeated but not giving up, Belladonna quickly returned at the last wagons where Adam had stayed to steal the dust and destroy cargo. Sending her there had been an absolute waste of time and returning at the bottom of the train only exhausted her and weaken her aura. Sometimes she encountered some robots that had survived the massacre she and Adam made when they entered the train. Despite that, the mission hadn't been more complicated than the others she had been in.

Blake was proud of herself, she had never been in a mission with Adam and even less they both alone. She knew how all the missions Adam commanded ended. Most of the members of the White Fang had their hands stained with blood due to Adam's orders. Maybe that was the reason why Adam never asked her to come with him. Hijacking the train was relatively easy and Blake was elated that this mission wouldn't be a bloodshed as the others. Or that was what she believed until she heard the shotgun firing wild.

Blake arrived at the last wagon and pressed the button on the wall to open the door. She had been just in time to presence what Adam had been up to since he had sent her at the top of the train. Then all made sense.

"Have mercy on us!" One of the crew members begged, in his knees and with his hands behind his head.

The others were curled in a corner, trembling and not daring to see how their partner's life ended. All it took was a bullet from Adam's weapon. Blake wished she had been just one of them and be defenseless to have the freedom to not look at how Adam killed the man, without hesitating, looking at him in the eye…

"Adam!" Belladonna yelled in pure horror, she had heard about his bloodshed but had never seen how he killed someone. They had always told her those were accidents, non-intended murders due to the human's stupidity. Those people didn't deserve to die, they were claiming to have pith on them! What kind of monster could ignore those begs and just kill them

The bull faunus claimed his excited breath and turned to see his partner. She was crying and Adam felt the urge to instruct her in controlling her emotions and strengthen her soul. She couldn't even say more than his name, she was shocked.

"I told you not to say our names during missions." Adam reminded, violently grabbing her by the arm and making her pace towards the corpse and the other employees in the train, who only whimpered more and sheltered each other. Blake didn't take her eyes off the blood that Adam stained on her arm's skin when grabbed her.

"What have you done?" Blake finally found the courage to speak against her mentor and superior. "All these times you have told me the deaths had been accidents…"

"They know my name now and also have seen your face." Adam didn't let her finish, Blake just trembled in her place. "It's your fault so you are going to deal with the problem."

Taurus walked towards the two alive employees left and threw one on the floor, just before Blake. Immediately he kneeled and grabbed her feet embracing her weak ankles.

"I beg you, let us go!" The man pleaded.

Blake would have stayed looking at the weaponless man at her feet if Adam hadn't shot at the other employee. The corpse fell and he returned by her side, as if nothing had happened.

"Darling, if you don't kill you don't serve the faunus cause." He forced Blake to unsheath Gambol Shroud. "I'm doing it for your own good."

Belladonna resisted the gold on her own weapon but in the end, she was just a puppet that Adam could control. He had a grip in both of her hands and controlled the movements, made the employee rise his head and put the gun in his forehead.

"Pull the trigger." Adam ordered. When Blake didn't respond he shook her body violently. "Pull it, now!"

"Please, miss, you don't want to do this!" Were the employee's last words.

The blood splattered in the wagon and once Adam, satisfied, let go of Blake, she observed her own clothes stained with red oozing blood. She hadn't pulled the trigger, it had been Adam's finger the one doing it for her. Blake felt as guiltier as if she had done it herself because standing and not doing nothing was equal or worse than actually doing something.

"No, I don't want to do this." Blake replied the vanished words of the murdered employee.

All it took was a bullet and life vanished out of that person.

It had been the point of no return and Blake's real problems would start from there.

* * *

Ilia stood still, silent, with a glass on the wall to listen to the neighbors conversation. She knew something wasn't right. Blake's glance had changed since she went on that mission alone with Adam. She hadn't told her, probably because of shame or in the worst case, fear. Amitola was the best person could comprehend Blake and her situation, not wanting to do things that the superiors ordered was a complicated situation. But Adam was both superior and lover, Blake was emotionally bonded to him and that brought her in a circle of self-destruction, Ilia feared.

"You can't understand that everything I do is for your own good!" Ilia heard Adam yell.

A second later, Ilia felt something impacting in the wall she was leaning. She heard the sound of struggle and a quiet whimper.

"You are hurting me!" Blake cried, her breath accelerated.

"This wouldn't happen if you obeyed me." Adam threatened her. "This way you will learn."

Ilia couldn't just stand there anymore without doing nothing and just listening to her best friend's cries. She had to do something, Adam was crossing a limit. She exited the room quickly, covering her ears to avoid hearing Blake's whimpers. Loudly, she knocked at Adam's dorm door. The yells and cries stopped and she could hear Adam muttering something, then a loud thump. A few seconds later, the door got open. Ilia faced Adam and his angry eyes, he was intimidating and unconsciously she swallowed saliva.

"What is it?" Adam asked impatiently.

Ilia's brain burned. She hadn't thought of a good excuse to get Blake out of there. Those arguments they had happened so suddenly and ended quickly and with violence.

"Is Blake here?" The chameleon faunus asked, trying to peek inside the room, she found Blake sitting on the bed, head low. When she heard Ilia's voice saying her name she looked up, Adam glanced back at Blake and she shivered and stayed quiet.

"This is not a good moment." Taurus growled.

"Well, you see… Sienna asked me to bring someone I trust with me to talk about something." Adam narrowed his eyes, Ilia made a step forward. "Sienna hasn't told me what it is about, but I need Blake to come with me right now."

Belladonna stared at Adam waiting for a signal, his permission. Taurus nodded and she got up, she was like a robot, being controlled and at the minimum sign she executed the orders. Or that was what Ilia thought that Adam wanted Blake to be. His personal submissive, loyal servant.

Blake smiled at Ilia and got out of the room, but before Asam closed the door, he got a grip in Blake's wrist. Her cat faunus' ears folded down, the hand Adam was grabbing was trembling too.

"I hope it doesn't take much time." Adam said it as a sentence, more an order than anything else.

"I'm sure it won't." Ilia replied and Adam let go of Blake.

Once Adam closed the door and the two friends were alone, Ilia held Blake's hand and led her upstairs in the rooftop direction. It was a cold night and the air made shiver both of them, but none of that mattered.

"Everything you told Adam were lies, right?" Blake asked, her voice weak. "I'm going to get in trouble, Ilia."

Amitola closed the door of the rooftop and didn't let Blake enter the building. The cat faunus was actually scared and with her eyes couldn't stop looking for a way out. Every time Ilia tried to talk with Blake about her relationship with Adam she avoided the topic.

"Adam controls, manipulates and hurts you." Ilia said, Blake looked away. Both knew she was aware of her toxic relationship. "Do you think it is what a normal person does to the loved one?"

"This isn't about what I think." Belladonna replied. "It is about the consequences and if I return now maybe Adam won't mind you lied at him."

"I only lied to take you out of there!" Ilia defended herself, Blake was trying to blame her but she didn't care, the most important was Blake's well-being. "What was he doing to you? Where did he hurt you?"

Ilia saw Blake unconsciously caressing her lower belly, near to her right hip. The chameleon faunus stared serious at her, Blake wasn't willing to show her the physical pain Adam infringed.

"That doesn't matter. I love Adam and he loves me back." Blake clearly was in a defensive position and wouldn't accept Ilia's help since she was directly attacking Adam.

"Then what matters? If you aren't your first priority…" Ilia tried to reason with her but Blake's mentality had changed, she was a caged bird.

"My first priority now is to return downstairs and be with my boyfriend." Blake replied aggressively. "I understand you are worried about me, but I'm fine."

Ilia knew that the last sentence was a lie, she could tell by her golden eyes. Blake was quieter than ever and didn't smile anymore. Ilia knew her good and she wasn't like that. Adam was changing her and it wasn't too late to make her open her eyes but it would take time.

Ilia grabbed Blake's arm, like Adam did before, to stop Blake from leaving. This time, she didn't flinch and wait for instructions. Blake violently got free from Ilia's grip and with a last glance of anger, she returned downstairs, leaving the chameleon faunus shocked. Blake had never been violent.

Belladonna ran as fast as she could to return in time. She was sad to hurt Ilia but it was necessary to keep her away from Adam and herself. It was her problem that Adam and she argued a lot recently, not Ilia's.

When Blake entered the room everything was dark. She heard Adam's peaceful and calm breathe and distinguished his silhouette in bed. Blake only had to take off her pants and laid beside him, carefully covering her body with the bedsheets. She sighed in relief once the quietness arrived and closed her eyes. Then, she felt Adam's arm tangling around her waist and pulling her closer to him. The warm breath now was in her human ear.

"How did the talk with Sienna go?" Taurus asked, holding with care Blake's body that shivered. Before she could answer, Adam spoke again: "I could expect Ilia lying to me but you…"

His hand gripped around her wrist and slightly put some pressure, hurting Blake's skin but not actually enough to leave a visible mark.

"I was going to explain you the truth." Blake whimpered, it only made Adam get angrier and tighten the arm against Blake's waist.

"Ilia doesn't like me, she doesn't like us. Do you know why?" He asked Blake in the ear. "Because she is in love with you and feels frustrated every time she sees us because she knows she will never have you like I do."

Blake closed her eyes and turned her head to the other side but soon Adam would make her look his way. His red eyes shone brightly in the dark and observed every expression Blake made. She knew Ilia liked her in a romantic way, in the beginning, it had been awkward but now she got used. Not corresponding her love made Blake feel guilty, but it was something completely out of her control and Adam's. At least for then…

"I love you, Adam." Blake sweetly reminded him and kissed his lips quickly. Then kept caressing his face like a soft feather with the tip of her fingers. It got the effect she expected, Adam calmed down and loosened his grip on her body.

"Love you too, darling." He muttered and laid his head on her chest to sleep. Lately, every night had been like that. They started to talk and argued before going to sleep. Then in bed Blake would make something to compensate him, the daring caresses had a high effectivity on him, but loving and sweet rubs on the hair and cheeks also worked well. Sometimes he would apologize for being rude or violent earlier and then he embraced her and slept all night. Belladonna always stayed up, questioning herself how did she end in the point of no return.

* * *

Adam had never been criticized for his extreme philosophies. When he was called to speak with Sienna he didn't expect that her, the woman that thought that violence was the solution and encouraged him to kill, would give him a talk with clear orders.

"You cannot kill in every mission you lead. You know I never tried to control your power and limit your authority but this is going too far." Sienna spoke, her expression very serious.

"Which is the reason why you have come here and tell me to change my plans?" Adam asked, he expected a name as an answer.

"Some of your men have complained about your orders to execute people unnecessarily." She informed him.

Even though Sienna hadn't given him a clear name, Adam knew Ilia Amitola was one of those persons who didn't want to kill.

"Speaking of which, I had a particular case I wanted to comment with you." Taurus started, changing the topic. "There's a friend of Blake, Ilia Amitola. She needs a rougher hand."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Sienna asked, not trusting any word from the bull faunus.

"She doesn't respect my authority and I think having you as a mentor would help her." False excuses, Adam only wanted to take her off the game so he could be in peace with Blake. Her relationship with her was something private and he disliked how Amitola questioned their decisions as a couple.

"Me? But I train in Mistral, not in Vale." The tiger faunus complained.

"That's exactly why she should move to the Mistral branch with you." Adam sentenced. He saw doubt in Sienna so he continued with the words she wanted to hear: "Amitola is an excellent fighter but hasn't developed her potential completely. Your help would make her an important piece in your branch in Mistral."

The tiger faunus stayed silent for a few seconds. Adam knew he had given her exactly what she wanted to hear. Amitola wasn't a great fighter, just a regular trainee but Adam knew first hand that Sienna did miracles with her trainees. Even someone common like Amitola could become an important piece in future missions if Sienna made her improve her fighting skills. Everybody would win, the White Fang, Ilia for becoming a better fighter and Adam for staying with Blake alone. Everybody won, that was enough to justify Adam's wicked actions inside his mind.

"I trust your judgment, Adam. I'll give you my word that I will take care of that rebel trainee." Sienna finally said. "I'm leaving tomorrow, go and give her the new."

Adam got up and silently exited the room. He went upstairs and searched for her in the installations. He had convinced Sienna, now Blake wouldn't have any external influence. That guaranteed him cent percent that she would never leave him. There was nothing that Adam hated more than when somebody tried to question their relationship. When they began dating, Adam left clear that didn't want anybody getting their nose in his business with Blake, his former pupil. Now Blake was his equal, his queen, the person who would stay beside him at the throne of the High leader of the White Fang. Nobody would dare to come between them, Ilia was just one of the many persons he had kicked out of their lives.

Adam finally found Amitola exiting the showers, her hair still wet from the water. She pretended as if she hadn't seen him and walked away, but Adam got a grip on her arm, preventing her from leaving.

"You are leaving tomorrow." Adam announced, victorious. He could almost feel the taste of the pleasure of being alone with Blake.

The chameleon faunus roughly got free from his grip and made a step back to face him. Ilia didn't know what all was about but didn't need to be told that she was a problem for Adam since she was Blake's friend and warned her about his controlling and possessive behavior to say it lightly.

"What are you talking about?" Ilia asked, frowning her eyebrows.

"Leader Sienna is taking you with her to the Mistral brotherhood to continue your training with her as mentor." Adam sentenced.

Ilia would have felt honored in other circumstances but knowing the reason why so suddenly and without asking for it she had been assigned a mentor and moved to another brotherhood she wasn't happy. Adam pulled his strings to give her a ticket to leave so he could do and undo whatever he wanted with Blake. Ilia wouldn't consent it.

"Why me?" Ilia asked. Sienna had a good reputation, one of the bests, but there was a reason hidden beneath the opportunity.

"Because you are talented and I don't want to waste your skills by just getting rid of you." Adam answered while receiving a hateful glance from the chameleon faunus. "So go and prepare your things to leave or you'll regret staying here." He sentenced as a final warning.

Ilia didn't move and opened her mouth to reply with some defiant commentary or dangerous promise but she thought about it twice and decided just to go and leave Taurus in his world, thinking that he had won.

Once Ilia was out of Adam's sight, she searched for Blake. She didn't want her to get in trouble with Adam but knowing that Ilia was going to leave the branch because of him maybe would make her open her eyes and realize how toxic Adam was. Amitola had one thing sure, she wouldn't leave Blake in the headquarter alone with Adam.

Amitola went downstairs, upstairs, even looked in Blake's shared room with Adam knowing that she risked being discovered by him, but Belladonna was nowhere to be found. Defeated, Ilia went to the rooftop to have some fresh air and think about a way to get Blake out of Adam's claws. When Ilia opened the door to exit out of the building, she stumbled upon Blake, who was just going to enter.

"I-Ilia!" Blake exclaimed, her voice broken. She had her eyes red and seemed to be crying recently. Ilia read in her glance that Blake was feeling guilty for how she treated her the other day while she tried to warn her about Adam.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." Ilia said, closing the door behind her, showing that she wasn't mad at Blake.

"Why?" The cat faunus asked, hiding her hands behind her back, Ilia noticed it but said nothing to not put Blake in a defensive mode like the other day.

"They ordered me to change from this faction." Ilia said and stared intensively at Blake, she was sure the cat faunus could guess who made her leave.

"They? Who exactly?" Belladonna asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. But she couldn't avoid the truth even if it was hurtful.

"Adam." Ilia said the obvious and Blake closed her eyes and lowered her head. "I'm being transferred to the Mistral brotherhood with Sienna."

Ilia waited for Blake to react and say something. None of them moved, the cat faunus remained silent and Ilia expectant for an answer. After almost a minute, Blake found the words and spoke:

"Sienna is a great leader, it is a good opportunity to improve your skills." Blake tried to sound happy for her but her impression wasn't convincing. That offended the chameleon faunus, it hurt her that Blake didn't even react at the new. Or maybe she wasn't surprised because...

"Were you aware of Adam's plan?" Blake remained silent, that meant a 'yes'. "Do you really want me to leave?!" Ilia exclaimed, hurt.

"Of course I don't want you to leave but it us for your own good!" Blake almost yelled, she was obviously emotionally unstable. "If you stay here Adam will make your daily routine a living hell."

Ilia was very aware of the condition if she decided to stay, Adam's subtle threats couldn't be taken lightly. Blake made the intention to leave but Ilia blocked the way. Blake was too scared to do something and speak against his couple. She needed to open her eyes.

"And you will let Adam control your life?! He is trying to isolate you so he can have you only for himself! He took you away from Menagerie so you couldn't be with your parents and I am his next objective." The chameleon faunus yelled, done with everything.

"I begged him to let you leave, Ilia! He doesn't like you being around here!" Belladonna confessed at the edge of crying

"Adam has taken your family, friends, and freedom, what's next? Your life?!" Amitola asked back, not wanting to make a step backward and willing to martyrize Blake until she decided that Adam had gone too far and could go even further if nobody stopped him.

"Just leave us alone! He will treat me nice once he feels there isn't any threat around." Blake begged her best friend.

"Treat you nice?! Ilia asked offended. "He should always treat you nice no matter what."

Blake dried a tear about to fall from her amber eyes. Ilia spotted bruises in her wrists, being half-covered by the ribbon tangled around her arm. Without doubting it, Ilia approached Blake and grabbed her arm to examine the purple marks on her skin. They were finger-shaped and appeared due to a brutal force. The chameleon faunus continued examining her friend's body, even lifting her clothes to find more bruises.

"Ilia, stop!" Blake whimpered, struggling to stop her friend.

Amitola, even though it pained her, didn't stop until she found what wanted to see. Blake also had bruises on her hips and belly, marks of hits that left brown and lilac signals on her pale skin. Blake covered herself and contained her cries, ashamed for everything she was going through. Ilia couldn't understand what was going inside Blake's mind but said something that would surely help.

"I'm not leaving without you, Blake." Ilia said, offering the same opportunity that was opened to her. "Tomorrow a helicopter will be here and you will come with me to Mistral."

Belladonna smiled comforted but the compassion Ilia felt towards her made her feel even more unfortunate. Ilia embraced her friend, who was still trembling and Blake made herself little in order to search for comfort in her chest. Despite being Amitola smaller than Blake, the cat faunus felt protected for a while. That was what at first she felt when she was with Adam but now he was the one she was afraid of.

"I can't come with you and you know it." Blake cried. "If I go, Adam will chase us. He is too important inside the White Fang, he can do whatever he wants."

Ilia knew that returning home in Menagerie wasn't an option since the last time Blake had talked to her parents they had a brutal argument. She felt guilty so Blake's only option was to be in the White Fang. The opportunity Ilia was giving her was precious.

"Blake, just think about it. Imagine the freedom we would have in Mistral." Ilia insisted, making Blake look at her. "Escape from him before it is too late."

Belladonna considered the option. A part from their relationship and his possessive behavior, he also made her kill a human in that train! Blake accidentally saw how Adam killed mercilessly the crew and that surely happened in all the missions he led and she wasn't present. Those weren't accidents as he assured, he didn't even try to hide it anymore. Adam felt like the humans deserved to die and leaving beside the fact that he was his romantic partner, if Blake stayed in his branch under his commands she would have to murder. These two things made her hesitate an option that Blake would have never considered. What if she did leave with Ilia? Would it be the end to the abuse?

"What time will be the helicopter leaving?" Blake finally dared to asked, Ilia contained a smile of happiness.

"In the afternoon after sundown." That was around 8 pm at that station of the year. "I'll be waiting for you, Blake." Ilia assured her.

Blake nodded in agreement and left immediately. Ilia let her go because surely Blake hurried because Adam was waiting for her. At least Amitola had changed her mind, Blake would finally leave Adam behind.

The cat faunus returned to their room. She would think about everything at night, when Adam fell asleep. If she had enough courage to pack her things and leave him she would finally be free. Blake had been reduced to nothing but she wasn't blind, everything Ilia told her wasn't new to her. Adam had always wanted her for himself so he tried to make the people around them go away. He partially achieved it and then the abuses started. But after Ilia's words, Blake felt more confident and entered the dorm without trembling.

Adam heard Blake coming in and he pretended as if he were still working, focused on his paperwork. Usually, Blake would approach him, give him a hug and a sweet kiss to assure he was in a good mood for the rest of the night, even she would whisper caring words. But Adam waited and waited and Blake didn't come, she just sat on the bed and read a book, relaxed and as if nothing happened. That was enough to piss Adam off.

"What's wrong with you? Where have you been?" He asked.

Blake barely raised her sight from the book. "I was talking with Ilia in the rooftop." She simply answered, not giving it too much importance.

Adam tightened his fist and pressed the papers together with strength. Blake heard how he threw the papers away, flying over the room, the table almost trembling due to a second hit on the wood.

"I told you I didn't want you to see her again." Adam growled, getting up from his chair. Blake also got up from the bed, closing the book and holding it with both hands so she could prevent the trembling on her body. "What did she tell you, huh?" Adam demanded.

"I was just saying goodbye to her!" Blake exclaimed, feeling her heart pumping loud inside her chest also wanting to get out of there.

Blake felt Adam's warm breath on her forehead as he closed the distance with her. His hand got a grip around her neck, the black scarf hiding previous marks of his fingers too. He also grabbed Wilt and Blush and placed the katana against her cheek.

"That wasn't part of our agreement, love." Adam spoke slowly. "I'd let her leave if you stayed away from her. I spent the afternoon alone because you were with her!" He yelled, pushing roughly Blake's back against the wall.

"I will be staying with you here, we will be alone starting from tomorrow! Isn't that what you want?!" Blake whimpered as she felt Adam's fingers tightening around her neck.

"And you? Is that what you want?!" Adam asked back, stealing the book from Blake's hands and throwing it away so their bodies would be pressed together.

"I-I love y-you…" Blake muttered as an answer, feeling an urge for oxygen.

"This isn't working this time, darling." Adam sentenced, knowing her strategy to calm him down. "You are driving me insane, Blake. And you know what to do when I'm mad at you, right?"

Blake, without any other option, nodded and Adam released her free. She fell to her knees and coughed from the lack of air. The bull faunus didn't give her time to recover and pulled her hair so she would raise her head.

"Go on, love. Make this up to me, will you?" He threatened, placing his weapon under her chin to face the consequences of her behavior.

* * *

The next morning, Blake got up with her body still hurting. The left side of the bed where Adam used to lay was cold and in his place there was a beautiful red rose and a note. Blake turned, each part of her aching, and read the note:

" _My darling,_

 _Today we will finally be alone, just the two of us. Now that nobody will get in our way, I'm sure together we will ignite the flames of the faunus revolution. With you by my side nothing can go wrong._

 _I know last night I went too rough on you. You also know I try my best in taking care of you. You are mine and from now on I will make sure nothing bad happens to you. I'm just asking for your cooperation in return._

 _I love you, Blake."_

The cat faunus sighed and read the note twice. These words often came out from Adam's mouth and nothing changed. They weren't romantic partners, she knew Adam 'loved' her but that love wasn't sane. He just wanted to possess her, feeling lust every time she cried because he pushed her too hard. He didn't want the best for her, just what he felt that was best for himself and the faunus.

"This will end today." Blake sentenced, grabbing the beautiful red rose.

She put the rose in the vase with water and threw a pair of them, that Adam gifted her last week, that were already wittered. Each time they fought she would find a rose by her side the next morning. As if forgiveness would only cost a flower.

Blake put the dirty clothes that were scattered on the floor on the laundry cub and threw her stockings away since Adam broke them last night. Then she moved to the shower in a small bathroom they had in the same dorm, a privilege just for the leader of the branch.

Belladonna's favorite part of the day was the shower, in the morning and even in the evening if she could. Adam also gifted her with aromatic creams and expensive shampoos and body lotions. He liked smelling her scent mixed with flowers just before drifting away to sleep.

Blake leaned her hands on the wall of the showers as the water fell over her body. She watched how the water turned red on the floor, wiping away the dry blood. Once the first layer of dirt was gone, Blake rubbed the scented soap softly through her skin and then put the shampoo on her hair. She rubbed in circles until there was plenty of foam and then let the water wash away all of the hurt that was inflicted to her yesterday.

After almost half an hour, Blake got out of the shower, hair half-dry and already combed. It was late but she would arrive just in time to have breakfast with Adam in his office. Sometimes at the weekends it happened that she overslept and he came to search for her in the room so it was better to hurry and go there before he could suspect something.

Blake got dressed quickly and spent several minutes tangling the black ribbon around her arms to cover the marks he had left in her skin. She also used concealer and translucent powder to cover the bruises on her exposed stomach. Once she made sure that nothing was out of place by staring long and hard in the mirror, Blake got out of the room.

First, she went down in the kitchen and the volunteers of the White Fang gave her the basket with Blake and Adam's breakfast. It was a daily routine. Then Blake returned upstairs and knocked on the door of the office and wouldn't enter until she heard his approval from inside.

Nevertheless, this time Adam was the one to open the door and let Blake pass inside the office. She barely looked him in the eyes and hurried to leave the basket with the food in the small table on one side of the office where he sat during informal visits or while receiving guests. The desk was full of paperwork so he also used that space for his own delight.

Blake felt how the couch on the sofa sank beside her as she prepared the things in the table to have breakfast with him. She feared he would mention the five minutes she was late but he seemed pleased by her floral smell. Blake poured some tea in one small cup and handed it to him. Adam accepted it but left it on the table, Blake continued putting out the things from the basket, but he grabbed her hand so she would stop. Blake let out a broken sigh and faced him.

"I didn't ask for a maid." He commented, seeing how Blake tried too hard to serve him. "I just want to enjoy my love's company."

By his soft tone, Blake could tell the storm was over. Or at least the storm wouldn't begin again until he got mad for something. Their relationship was a repetitive cycle and now he was in the soft, loving and caring mode. Blake had to put some effort to maintain it that way the maximum of time.

"How was your morning so far?" Blake asked as he poured some tea for her as well she did for him.

"Dull until you arrived." Adam replied sweetly, sounded almost artificial.

"Glad to hear that." She replied automatically and looked outside the window. "It seems like today will rain."

"It won't ruin our romantic evening." Adam said, surprising Blake. She stared at him so he would continue and explain to her what he was talking about. "I've got plans for us tonight, darling. It's a surprise for you."

"For me? Why?" The cat faunus asked. Maybe Adam was in such a good mood because Ilia would leave today.

"Because you are so good to me." Taurus replied, caringly caressing Blake's cheek. "And because I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday. I should have stopped when you told me to."

Blake swallowed saliva when she remembered last night. Adam noticed it, placed a sweet kiss on her forehead and slowly embraced her small body. The cat faunus closed her eyes and let Adam comfort her almost until she fell asleep. They ended cuddling on the sofa until the tea cooled down. Adam enjoyed the smell of the shampoo she washed her hair with and relaxed for a while.

They didn't move until a thunder woke them both up. A storm had begun yet they were calm. Blake felt Adam's fingers stroking her dark mane as she laid her head on his chest to hear his heartbeats.

"I should return to work." Adam finally said, opening his eyes. "And you should go train."

"You are right." Blake whispered, leaning backward to sit on the sofa. They had been cuddling together for all morning.

"When you finish you'll take a shower, get pretty for me and wait for me in the entrance of the headquarter at 8 pm." Adam ordered, putting his hair in place with his fingers.

A hurtful beat strike her heart. That was the same hour Ilia's helicopter would leave. Adam was doing that on purpose so she couldn't go, not even to say goodbye. Taurus sensed her being insecure and frowned his eyebrows but before he could get angry and restart the cycle, Blake turned her head and smiled at him.

"I'm looking forward to it." She said in the sweetest of tones and approached to kiss his cheek. "See you later."

Blake didn't hurry in leaving to not be suspicious and not make Adam think that she would go running with Ilia. The cat faunus blew a kiss to Adam once she opened the door and then exited the room. After that short rest her body still ached but not like that morning when she woke up. Slowly the bruises would heal and luckily only a small unnoticeable scar would be the reminder of her turbulent relationship with the leader of the terrorist organization the White Fang had been turned in.

Once Belladonna was on their dorm, she had to use the chair to reach the highest drawer and grab her suitcase. It was a small purple bag, most of her things would fit inside, even her weapon. Blake stared at the clock, she had two hours to get ready, avoid Adam and reach for the helicopter camouflaged inside the Forever Fall Forest that would be waiting for Ilia

Blake stared at the right side of the closet, the one that belonged to her. She put all the clothes that needed and wanted to take in top of the bed and carefully placed them inside the suitcase, using the lesser space she could so everything would fit. Her usual training attire, sneakers, boots, pajamas, ribbons, makeup, all the hygiene products that belonged to her and for last, her weapon. As it was raining, Blake decided that she would need her coat, so she would put it on. It was better for her that the day was cold because if she put Gambol Shroud inside the suitcase, the thick coat wouldn't let the suitcase zip.

Then all Blake needed to do was wait, but an unbearable guilt didn't let her breath. She would leave Adam behind, without an explanation, waiting for her to go on their romantic evening. After everything he had put her through he didn't deserve any of Blake's thoughts and feelings, but she was too kind to just leave him. Deep down, she was dependent of him and didn't want to let him go because she still loved the man once he was, not the monster he was now.

Blake sat on the desk, put one paper over the wood and grabbed the pen. She started writing a letter, like the one Adam left her in the couch that morning.

" _Dear Adam,_

 _I will always remember all of your charms: the convincing way you speak, your soft hands that can either hurt or please me, the undeniable passion that guides you, the way your face relaxed when you are asleep, how your mouth half-opened silently asks me for an intense kiss…_

 _All the times I tell you that I love you are not a lie or a strategy, a way to solve all our arguments and problems. When I say ''I love you' it is because I yearn to see the man that made me fall in love in him, that manipulated me in a subtle way that I didn't notice because I was too blind, that slowly tore me apart and separated me from my friends and family. Maybe you have always been like this but I like to think that what I'm seeing now is just your darkest side: the cruelest murderer and most dangerous lover._

 _I wish you could be in my mind for a while to know what I think every time you lose control and hurt me. I don't hate you but I can't love you anymore. I can't bear the way you hurt me anymore. I'm still coughing blood from the fight we had a week ago. As I said, I will never forget your charms but also I won't forget your faults, the way you abused my body and mind._

 _I can't even look at myself in the mirror, I can't stay by your side but I also can't bear myself. Every time I think about the man you made me murder in the train my stomach twists painfully. Staying with you is not an option and being in this branch of the White Fang neither. I know you had your plans for us, ruling over the White Fang and being the most feared and dangerous couple in all of Remnant. But I will not use my potential for violence but for change and progress. I hope soon you understand that this method that inspires fear to the humans won't work. This way we will never be equal._

 _I'm trying to think in our future separated and I can't almost imagine it. We've spent half of our life together and after so much, not having you in my life seems impossible. It will take months, maybe years, but we will get used to it and maybe we will even fall in love again with another person in the future._

 _I hope you can forgive me for leaving you this way, but I don't have any other option._

 _You will always be in my thoughts, Adam._

 _I love you._

 _Blake."_

Belladonna had to dry a tear that was going to fall and stain the letter. She carefully placed the letter in the side she used to sleep in their shared bed and grabbed the suitcase to leave. She dried her tears and put the coat on to face the coldness of the new world waiting for her.

Silently Blake closed the door of the dorm behind her and sneaked through the hallways to go downstairs. She went unnoticed and once she was outside of the building and the rain fell over her, Blake finally felt the taste of freedom. After all these years Blake had hope in a better future, not tied to Adam anymore.

In less than a minute the rain had soaked her entirely. Blake distinguished the lights of the helicopter far from the building. Just after giving one last look behind her, Blake ran away. Her steps made the small pools of water squirt as she focused her sight on the airship that would take her away from all her problems. She could even see the Whitefangers putting their luggage in the bottom of the helicopter.

Belladonna made a step forward to get out of the tree forest and reach for her liberty and the field where the helicopter was but a sudden pressure on her hand didn't let her advance.

"My darling!" Adam yelled, the thunders loud in the background. Blake turned and saw him soaked too, trying to pull her by the arm so she would not leave. "Why are you betraying me like this?!"

By the first time in her life, Blake heard true sorrow in Adam's voice. He wasn't angry, he was desperate.

"Let me leave, Adam!" Blake begged, pulling on the contrary direction to escape.

"No!" He sentenced and with a rough pull managed to corner the cat faunus between him and a tree which leaves were being roughly agitated by the wind. "Don't leave!"

"I can't stand this anymore!" Blake cried. "I need to get out of here and have time for myself without you!"

Adam clenched the fist that was resting in the trunk of the tree to prevent Blake from leaving.

"I'm nothing without you!" Adam yelled.

He lowered his head and cried, full of pain. His whimpers eventually stopped and Blake stood still until he only was breathing and trying to assimilate that she was leaving him.

Belladonna sneaked under his arms, she wasn't cornered anymore. Adam didn't move and stayed bent over, leaning in the tree, eyes closed. Blake couldn't stand the pitiful sight and approached to kiss his wet cheek. Adam didn't make a sound and stayed still. Blake made two steps backward, not daring to turn her back on him but when she saw that Adam was not moving, Blake turned to reach for the helicopter.

She got out from the forest and stepped on the field. The members of the White Fang were going to leave but Ilia was still outside the ship, looking around for her.

"Ilia!" Blake yelled, moving her hand in the air so she could see her.

The chameleon faunus turned around and saw Blake with her luggage ready to go and join her. Ilia motioned for the other to wait for Blake and approached her friend. Blake saw pure happiness in Ilia's face but suddenly, for some unknown reason, her expression changed to fear.

"Blake, watch out!" Ilia yelled, too late for Blake to react properly.

A sharp edge hit Blake's back. The cat faunus fell forward, screaming in pain. The luggage fell open on the floor the clothed also stained with the rain. Blake's head sank in a small pool of water and red leaves. She turned to look up a the sky how she could and find Adam standing tall. Blake tried to crawl back but he stepped on her chest, pushing her back down to the pool of mud and water.

"If you leave me you won't be nothing neither!" Adam threatened, unsheathing Wilt.

"Leave her alone!" Ilia cried and hurried to stop Adam but with only a rough push, he managed to throw her to the floor too.

"Ilia!" Blake whimpered. The hit on her back had weakened her.

Adam stepped on her stomach with strength and kneeled to be closer to her face. With his palm, he turned her head to one side and sank half of her face in the mud. Blake's hands gripped around Adam's wrists but nothing could stop him at that point.

"YOU'RE NOT LEAVING ME! NEVER!" Adam yelled at Blake's cat ears.

The members on the helicopter ran outside as they heard the screams. They were willing to help Blake and Ilia but as Adam was the leader of the Vale brotherhood, with only a gesture he could stop them.

"Leave!" Adam ordered the men. Nobody dared to question his orders and they entered the helicopter to leave immediately, leaving Ilia and Blake behind.

Once the helicopter left, Adam searched for Blake, who was crawling on the floor towards Ilia. Adam got on her way and got a grip on Blake's muddy hair and made her kneel. There was blood coming out of her mouth and she seemed to be choking with the air that she herself was breathing.

"You don't need anyone else, just me." Taurus growled, raising his closed fist in the air.

"N-no!" Blake muttered, raising her hands to show submission.

"I'm the only one who could ever love you, Blake." He sentenced.

Blake closed her eyes and felt the hard impact of Adam's knuckles with her cheek, mouth, and nose. She felt her body fell to a rain pool and Adam's shoe kicking her face to see if she was conscious, but Blake could no longer open her eyes. Her body shut down and slowly the rain became a distant echo that accompanied her into a dark slumber.

* * *

The previous coldness that had invaded her body was gone. She felt the emptiness and numbness over her except for a small amount of warmth in one of her hands. The intense light of the room forced her to open and close her eyes several times, tears falling due to the impact. Slowly, her whole body woke up and her senses came back to her, the pain striking sharp in one of her sides. Despite everything, Blake remained calmed, not daring to move until a heavy breath hit her hand, the one that was warm.

Blake made an effort and turned her head to see what was giving her such warmth in a so cold room. The first thing she distinguished was red, bloody ruby hands that were holding her own.

Taurus noticed she was awake when her hand tried to get free from his grip. Adam got up and leaned to see Blake panicking, her breath rapid and the machine controlling her heartbeat accelerating.

"Love, calm down!" Adam ordered, softly taking off the oxygen mask placed over her mouth.

Blake screamed and weakly tried to make Adam stay away from her. The bull faunus tried to hold her hands in a sweet manner that eventually became violent, restraining both of her wrists. The cat faunus kept screaming senseless things, in part due to the hard medication they were giving to her in the hospital. The yells eventually attracted medical staff to the room, who also had received the alarm of the racing heartbeats from Belladonna's machines.

"Sir, we just want to help." A female doctor said, trying to make him exit the room.

"She's my partner, I can't leave her like this." Adam replied, scared of Blake's reaction when she saw him.

The medical staff had to push Adam away from Blake, making him go to the bottom of the room. A minute later, a security guard asked him politely to leave the room as he wasn't allowed to be in there while the hospital personnel was working. Taurus, resigned, was forced to exit Blake's room and wait in the hallway outside, sitting in a stupid plastic chair while hearing Blake screaming.

Back inside the room, the female doctor injected something to calm her as she diagnosed a nervous crisis. Blake slowly calmed down, muttering stressful words and eventually staying silent, looking at an undefined point of the room, half-conscious. Once the medical staff made sure everything was alright and Blake was stable, they placed back the oxygen mask over her mouth and left, leaving the room free for anybody that wanted to visit her.

Ilia saw the personnel coming out of Belladonna's room and stopping Adam, who was on his way to enter, to explain him Blake's delicate state. Amitola, taking advantage of her camouflage, sneaked inside the room unnoticed. She saw the terrible state of her friend, who was just laying on a white bed, half-drugged by a high dose of morphine. She approached slowly and moved her hand over Blake's eyes to see if she was conscious of her surroundings.

"Blake." Ilia whispered, softly slapping her face to make her react until the cat faunus locked her eyes on her. "Listen to me, we don't have much time."

Belladonna rose her hand to touch Ilia's face but the lack of strength didn't let her reach for it. Amitola held Blake hand that had fallen and approached Blake, who was trying to speak.

"Don't let him…" Blake whispered, her mouth and throat dry. "Don't let Adam come close…"

Ilia felt her soul being ripped for pity over her best friend.

"The hospital will concede your custody to Adam while you are recovering." Amitola told Blake, who let out a broken breath. "The White Fang will force me to leave to Mistral tomorrow."

"Don't leave…" Blake whispered, tightening her fingers around Amitola's hand.

"I don't have any choice. But you can." Ilia tried to comfort her, hurrying before Adam finished talking with the doctor. "Adam will feel guilty about this for a long time, you have to earn his trust and in the less expected moment escape."

"I can't… I can't, Ilia…" Blake replied, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can. Promise me you'll do it for me." Ilia insisted, looking behind her to check nobody was listening to their conversation. "Blake, please, regain his trust and betray him. You can't stay with him."

Belladonna didn't answer and closed her eyes. Ilia wiped out a tear that slipped down her cheek. She could see the lack of trust in the cat faunus. Adam had reduced her to nothing, Blake was hopeless and helpless, left in his hands that eventually will end destroying her.

"I'm tired, Ilia…" Blake whispered, letting go of her hand and sneaking it under the bedsheets to find warmth. "I'm so tired…"

The cat faunus closed her eyes and put herself comfortable to sleep. Ilia observed how abused she had been and if she hadn't stopped Adam after Blake passed out Ilia feared that her friend could have been worse…

"Amitola." Ilia heard behind her, it was Adam who had returned from the hallway. "I wasn't expecting you here."

The chameleon faunus noticed that Adam was calm. The guilt would make him be docile for a while, especially with Blake. He was carrying a beautiful bouquet of red roses, Blake's favorites and under his eyes, there were deep dark circles.

"What did the doctors say?" Ilia asked in a not so friendly tone.

"She has one rib fractured and that causes her difficulty to breathe." Adam replied. Ilia remembered how after she passed out, he kicked Blake in her sides, probably what caused her that fracture. "They estimate she should rest for two months in bed."

Ilia felt Blake touching her hand, that was resting on the couch. Amitola and Adam turned to see Blake.

"Stay." Blake begged in a hoarse voice, Ilia barely could understand her.

"I can't, Blake." Ilia replied, looking at Taurus by the corner of her eye. "I'm told to leave today to Mistral."

"No, please…" Blake whimpered at the edge of crying, tightening her grip on Ilia's hand.

The chameleon faunus had to turn her head to let her tears run freely without Blake noticing it. The cat faunus had the sight too blurry to distinguish such small details. What she could clearly see was when Adam made Ilia let go if her and replaced her spot beside the bed.

"Go, Ilia. She won't remember this due to the high doses of medication." Adam told her. "I'll just tell her that you wished her a quick recovering."

Blake closed her eyes and turned her head away from Adam, facing the wall, as a sign of rejection for his words. She heard Ilia saying goodbye for the last time and her steps disappearing slow. Once the silence filled the room, Blake felt Adam's strong hands holding hers.

"I have read your letter, love." Adam started in a soft tone. "I'm sorry for making you suffer, my darling. Lately, I've been soulless with you and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness." He sentenced, leaning his head to reach her hands in the bed.

Blake was petrified and didn't know what to do: if staying silent and pretending to be half-asleep or answering with a single nod and 'forgiving' him so he wouldn't disturb her rest anymore. Before Blake could make up her mind, Adam spoke again:

"I need you Blake, I promise I will change!" He raised his voice and slightly shook the still cat faunus. "You have nobody here to take care of you except me. You have to forgive me." Adam demanded.

All the choices that earlier had appeared in Blake's mind as options suddenly faded. She didn't have any right to decide, Adam always decided for her. So, as she thought previously, faced him and corresponded to his caresses, softly stroking his palm with her fingers.

"It's alright." Blake muttered with difficulty.

Adam opened his eyes in surprise for the quick reply coming from his hurt girlfriend. Blake faked a tired smiled and closed her eyes again to rest. Now that he was forgiven she expected that he wouldn't disturb her anymore. She was wrong.

"Do you still love me, darling? After all I did to you?" Taurus asked again, shaking her hand to catch her attention.

At that moment, Blake comprehended that Adam wasn't doing all of that for her but for himself. Taurus was scared of himself not only of the possibility that Blake could leave him one day. The bull faunus had discovered his darkest side and something inside him was making a wicked seed grow, turning him more violent. What Blake didn't know so surely was if he liked his darkness or was trying to run away from himself.

Blake nodded slowly and Adam smiled sweetly. He let her hold the bouquet of roses he had bought for her. The cat faunus caressed each of its velvet petals. Adam went from leaving one rose at his side on the bed to buying her an entire bouquet when he visits her at the hospitals. The threats and manipulations became violence and slaps on her cheek. All of that always stopped for a short period when he did everything to regain Blake's love and earn her forgiveness. Then he used again his toxic behavior against her until leaving her at that critical state, in a hospital bed with bones broken fo his fault.

"Can I kiss you, love?" Adam demanded, taking away the bouquet of roses from her hands so all of her attention was on him. "I really need one." He begged.

Belladonna tried to get away from Adam, trembling at the mere sight of his hand raised over her helpless body. Her core hurt with each centimeter she moved and the chance to escape the contact became just a slight lean to the opposite side. Taurus couldn't care less about Blake's physical reaction and retired the oxygen mask from her mask to touch her lips with his own. She didn't show resistance and stayed still while he tried to make her open her mouth to deepen the kiss. Adam kept trying even knowing that Blake couldn't breathe without the mask because her thorax hurt each time she had to inspire air.

The cat faunus stole the mask from Adam's hands in a rough movement and placed it over her mouth again, breathing in pure relief once the oxygen entered her lungs.

"Why must you be like this?" Adam, disappointed, asked. "Why do you always have to ruin everything, Blake?"

The cat faunus, immobile in bed, stared at one of his possessive tantrums. Adam tightened his fists with rage and threw the bouquet against the wall, destroying the roses and making its petals fall. After cursing with spite, Adam left the room, muttering that he needed to have some rest.

Blake stared at the scattered roses of the bouquet on the floor, that slowly would wilt after the violence they had been summited. The cat faunus saw herself in each of those roses, without thorns left to defend herself. She was as fragile as those flowers that ended destroyed on the floor by Adam's brutality.

Blake forgot about the bouquet of roses and drifted away to sleep, knowing that tomorrow Adam would return with a new one.

* * *

 _Now I know I've got to  
Run away, I've got to  
Get away, you don't really want any more from me  
To make things right  
You need someone to hold you tight  
And you think love is to pray  
But I'm sorry, I don't pray that way._

 _Don't touch me, please  
I cannot stand the way you tease  
I love you though you hurt me so  
Now I'm gonna pack my things and go_

 _Tainted love_

* * *

After Blake's words in episode 5 we can know how Adam's behavior was when they were together (No spoilers so the non-first members can enjoy the chapter next week). I really liked writing a Tauradonna drabble focused on the abuse and mentality of the characters. I'd like to write something similar to this so if you have ideas leave them on the reviews. They are all welcome!

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Noa:** Don't worry, dear. This drabble was voted more so I'm posting it first but next week you'll have the other of the pregnancy posted. Thank you very much for your review!

 **Guest:** Thank you for voting! Hope you enjoyed this drabble.

 **TheBritishRose:** Yes, I'm from Catalonia and I love OT! I loved Tainted Love sung by Marta and Natalia and that inspired this drabble. I think that Alba or Natalia will win and Famous and Julia will be finalists too. Who is your favorite contestant from OT?

 **Fluttercord4Lyfe:** Done! What did you think at the end of the drabble? I'd appreciate your opinion.

 **Krystal501:** I hope I can post the epilogue before 2019 begins but there is a reason why I'm not uploading it and it's because of that surprise I had been teasing. All I can say is stay tuned because big things will come!

 **The Wizardrous Magicman:** Hope this drabble reached your expectations

 **merendinoemiliano:** I think I'll go with Adam Xiao Long, but I'll make him be called Beacon's Samurai by the students in Beacon. I'll keep working on it.

Thank you very much for reading. In the next drabble posted (the option #1 on the last poll) I will start another poll with two or even more interesting drabbles.

Frozenheart7


	27. Hate's seed

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Hate's seed

 **Summary:** This drabble is chronologically between volume 1 and 2. Adam is still in the White Fang and Blake is at Beacon carrying his child. Both have to do an arrangement over the baby growing inside Blake. Will their love pull them together again or will hate prevail and destroy the life they both created? What will happen when certain headmaster figures out Belladonna's little secret? Will his secret plans to make team RWBY the new defenders of the world weight more than the baby growing inside of her?

 **Rating:** T+

 **A/N:** This is the second option on the last poll, the less voted. That means down at the end of the drabble you'll find another poll with two another interesting options: One more smutty and romance and another with action and mystery. But before that, I hope you enjoy this drabble.

* * *

Blake loved staying at Beacon. The Academy itself and her team were her new home and family. The routine was hard but worth the effort of the daily classes and training. It wasn't like being on the White Fang where they just sparred and learned how to fight. Here some subjects were about Grimm, history, culture and nature. Besides, they were sent to training missions, sometimes being more action and adventure and another, just staying in the city and watching the limits.

That monday, team RWBY woke up only to go at Glynda Goodwitch's sparring class. Nevertheless, they arrived late because Blake had a little trouble that morning on the bathroom.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look pale and you haven't slept much tonight." Asked Yang to the cat faunus, who just nodded.

Along with JNPR, team RWBY arrived at the colosseum where Pyrrha would perform first against Cardin Winchester, being that match previously accorded before class. The restant members of the team sat on the benches and stared at the empty colosseum as Pyrrha and Cardin were on the lockers room preparing for the fight. On the next fight Blake would have to compete against Jaune. Despite the easy opponent, Ruby and Yang were still concerned about Belladonna.

"Do you think you are ill?" Asked Yang.

"What makes you think that?" Asked the cat faunus back.

"I heard you vomiting on the bathroom." Confessed Rose.

Xiao Long opened her eyes in surprise, staring at Weiss who had the same reaction. Her sister hadn't told that because she had been basically spying on Blake, who had been suspiciously ill lately. She didn't ate much, barely slept and had vomits.

"It's nothing." Assured Blake.

The fighters got out from the lockers room and reported to the battle area. Everybody cheered as Pyrrha was the best fighter and Cardin was one of the popular students.

"We should go change now, Blake." Said Jaune. "We will miss the fight but we are the next."

Belladonna just nodded after her tram wishing good luck to both opponents, together went to the lockers room. Once there, the cat faunus adjusted her bow after leaning her forehead on the locker. She had a suspicious cold sweat and chills, but she supposed she just was having the very first symptoms of a cold.

She grabbed her weapons, charged them with vials of dust and rested for a while until heard the bell of the colosseum rang when Cardin got beaten.

"I knew Pyrrha would beat him." Commented Jaune, returning now prepared. "Are you ready?"

Belladonna, as silent as ever, nodded and got to the battle area when heard Glynda calling her name. With Gambol Shroud on her hand she had more confidence and was stronger. Jaune, instead, was struggling to hold his sword straight. His hands were shaky and sweaty. He was afraid of Blake, seeing her as a deadly, silent beast. He swallowed saliva when the bell announced the beginning of the combat.

The students cheered when Arc had the initiative to attract first, lifting his sword to strike on Belladonna, who used her semblance to dodge the hit. She could have attacked and knock hik out on the instant when the weight of the sword was too much for him when missed the hit, but Blake felt dizzy. Using her semblance that time had been different, she was exhausted and her body had more weight, she wasn't light and quick as always.

Pyrrha arrived to the benches after leaving her weapons on the locked room and sat beside Yang, who was concerned because she could see that Blake wasn't as fast as always.

"What's wrong with Blake?" Asked Nikos seeing how she was struggling to dodge Jaune's attacks.

"She didn't even try to attack him." Commented Weiss.

"She is not feeling very well, I think we should make Glynda stop the fight." Opined Yang.

Before Xiao Long could go down to the battle area and warn their teacher, Belladonna decided to try and attack Jaune to finish the fight. She used Gambol Shroud to first shoot at him as a distraction and then herself jumped with the sword form of the weapon. Jaune could cover himself with the shield and a wave of white aura protected him, pushing the faunus back to the floor with brutal force.

Belladonna's aura didn't even flicker but she never got up again.

"Blake!" Yelled Yang, who jumped to the battle area and went to examine her partner.

Yang shook her, slapped slightly her cheek, but the cat faunus was unconscious. Later, Glynda Goodwitch stopped the lesson to go and check Blake's status. She wasn't hurt but something else than Jaune's aura was what knocked her out.

Pyrrha tried to comfort Jaune, who was feeling guilty for making Blake pass out. Yang assured him that it wasn't his fault as Glynda ordered to bring Belladonna at the infirmary until she returned to the consciousness.

* * *

"Ms. Belladonna, do you wish your teammates to stay and hear the diagnostic too?" Asked the nurse with the results of various tests.

Belladonna nodded, still laying on the infirmary bed, her teammates by her side. Yang was holding her hand and Ruby was sharing the big armchair beside the bed with Weiss. The nurse read the papers that had on her hands, ready to tell them the cause of Blake's sickness.

"Ms. Belladonna, you are pregnant." The nurse said. "Beacon doesn't accept pregnant students as it might be dangerous for the baby's health. I'm afraid I will have to communicate this to the headmaster to expel you from the Academy."

"What?!" Yelled Rose, raising up from the chair. "It must be a mistake!"

The nurse shook her head, denying Ruby's accusations. The test had been clear, Blake was indeed pregnant. Yang was so shocked that let go of her partner's hand, covering her mouth that was as opened n surprise as Schnee crystal eyes. The cat faunus lowered her head so nobody could see her expresion. She didn't feel sadness for having to leave the school and forget her dreams, she felt fear.

"How much is an abortion?" Asked Blake. "If I get rid of the baby then I will be allowed to keep training, right?" She muttered.

"Of course but you need the consent of the father." Informed the nurse. "I will call the headmaster to discuss this situation."

The nurse left the infirmary with team RWBY inside. The awkwardness was in the air, nobody knew what to say. Blake was afraid her teammates would ask much questions but the silence was consuming all of them. Finally, Belladonna stared at them.

"I didn't ask for this to happen." Cried Blake. "Why can't I just get rid of it? I don't want this!" She yelled with her hand on the belly.

Ruby walked towards the bed and sat at the feet of it.

"I think Sun will understand it, Blake." Supposed Ruby. "There's no need to panic."

It was normal for Rose to think that Sun was the one that got Blake pregnant since they showed clear mutual attraction. The two faunus had spend a weekend together and it was the logic reasoning.

"It's not from Sun." Replied Blake to Ruby.

"Well, do you even know who is the father?" Asked Weiss, crossing her arms.

Yang's eyes turned red when glanced at Weiss. She was treating the cat faunus as an ordinary girl who didn't had precaution. Whatever her sexual activity was, she had the right to enjoy it freely, without judgement, but Yang didn't share the same thoughts with Weiss.

"We have to support her no matter what." Reminded the blonde to the heiress.

"If she wants to stay at Beacon we should convince Ozpin, there has to be a way." Encouraged Ruby.

Ozpin and the nurse entered to the infirmary, interrupting the team's conversation. The headmaster stared at the faunus, who was discreetly wiping her tears off.

"Good morning team." He salutated. "I was called due to the crucial situation here. But the decision is not on my hands but in Ms. Belladonna's."

"I need to talk to the father." She only said.

Everybody knew that Blake didn't have anywhere else to go. She had been living on the White Fang headquarter last years, breaking her bounds with her family. She had left the only thing that had, the White Fang, just to enter at Beacon Academy and follow a better path. If she was expelled she wouldn't have where to go.

"Headmaster Ozpin, you can't expel Blake for just an accident, allow her to stay here, please." Begged Ruby, who was the closest member of the team to Ozpin.

The old man rubbed his chin, examining the situation.

"The nurse told me you wish to get an abortion, Ms. Belladonna. We should discuss this matter again when you have spoken to the father and have accorded the baby's future." Concluded Ozpin. "Now it would be a waste of time decide what to do."

With nothing more left to say, the headmaster left the infirmary. Everybody was surprised that he had been light about Blake's state, what team RWBY didn't know that it was because of his secret schemes.

"He is so weird…" Commented Yang.

"That's not important, Yang. Ozpin gave Blake a chance." Weiss said. "I'm sure you will know how to handle this topic with the father, whoever he is."

Blake wished she was a confident as Schnee.

* * *

The arrival to the White Fang secret headquarter of the Vale branch wasn't exactly pleasing. The fellow faunus hadn't been welcoming neither. The guards apprehended her as soon as they saw her coming towards the entrance of the building and brought her to Adam's office. At least they hadn't been violent with her. She was extremely nervous and even though she had been planning a speech for the father of the baby, when she saw the office forgot everything.

After knocking on the door of the office, the guards entered with the cat faunus. The smell of the alcohol filled the air and Adam was surrounded by the darkness. He lifted his head slightly and the glass of alcohol that was holding broke into pieces when saw Belladonna standing before him. A little dizzy, Taurus got up from his armchair, dropping some papers to the floor and faced Blake, whom jaw was trembling from the tension of the moment. He caressed it, slowly passing his fingers through his former pupil's pale skin.

"Blake… You are back." He only muttered totally drunk. "My beautiful, sweet, traitor…"

Belladonna made a step backward to refuse the contact, her back touching one of the guard's chest. He was drunk and unstable, he had never been alcoholized before but guessed that after she left him the alcohol was the only thing that had left.

"I'm not here for you." She said, putting the baby on the equation too but still not confessing the matter. "We need to talk in private."

Taurus wobbled and sat on the sofa on a side of the office. He invited Belladonna to sit beside him and she accepted, keeping the proper distances.

"Leave us alone!" He yelled, scaring Blake too. Once the guards left, he apologized. "I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Don't call me that again." She asked him not because she disliked it but because she was afraid to still love him.

Taurus took his Grimm mask off, not being in front of any subordinate. Blake was the only person that knew his intimate, sweet side. He had never been a bad lover, partner or boyfriend. He was caring, sweet and always had her on a pedestal. She was his muse, love and strength. Without her, he was just a waste of oxygen in Remnant.

"You are my one and only true love, Blake. Beside, you used to like it." Blake saw that the alcohol relaxed him, not made him violent as she feared. "If you left me, why did you come back?"

He wasn't angry with her for leaving him, there was just sadness and sorrow on his eyes and it hadn't been that much time to turn that sadness into anger and hatred. He was glad Blake was back and that he could at least see her once more.

"You got me pregnant." Suddenly confessed Blake. "Don't look at me like that, it's definitely yours, I didn't leave you to go with another lover."

This is… wonderful." He just said, but the cat faunus couldn't know if it was sarcasm or the truth. "You are carrying our child, can I touch it?"

Belladonna nodded and Adam caressed Blake's flat belly, expecting to feel something. Nothing happened as it hadn't been enough for the baby to develop. She had been at Beacon only for a few weeks and the baby didn't even have two months growing on her.

Adam leaned closer and smelled his former lover. He searched for her lips but Blake turned her head, refusing to pass to that point of their relationship again. She didn't go there to fix things with Taurus but to ask him about their child.

"I want to get an abortion. I'm not capable to raise a child and I don't want to sacrifice my future for it." She said. "I need your consent for that, would you sign this document?"

Blake lent him a paper that the nurse had given to her to proceed with the abortion. Taurus read it, repeating each sentence twice before passing to the next one. The cat faunus had already signed it and there was the father's consent signature empty.

Suddenly, Adam tore the paper apart, making sure to destruct it.

"I want this baby." He said.

He never had the fathernal instinct and on their relationship when having sex they always used protection just to not have descendants. Blake only thought of a possible reason of why he wanted a baby all of sudden.

"If you are doing this just to keep beside me, you are making a wrong decision. I still love you, but there are things that just can't be…" Admitted Blake with sadness.

"Our child can have a future. We will raise it together, we will find a solution. I won't give you the consent to kill our child."

"I want to be a huntress, Adam. I can't raise this child while being at Beacon."

"You can stay here with me even though you're not in the White Fang anymore!" He said, getting up, emotions too hard to control. "High Leader Khan wants to elevate me in rank and if she does I will be allowed to have my own house and lead the headquarters from there. We could make that house a home for the three of us!" He yelled excited.

"You are drunk, you don't even know what you are saying." Said Blake getting up from the sofa too. "Go to sleep and tomorrow you won't remember anything. It will be better that way."

Belladonna walked towards the door of the office, willing to leave the headquarter and return to Beacon. She was sure that there were other methods to interrupt the pregnancy and make it pass as an accidental abortion. If she couldn't do it the legal way, she would achieve it thanks to shady business. She had been on the criminal world and wasn't afraid of making one last deal with non-respectable people.

"You can't get rid of our baby! I won't let you!" Yelled Taurus, interposed between her and the door.

"Try to stop me." Threatened the cat faunus.

Blake pushed him away and got out of the office. The guards scolded her to the exit and she returned to the academy before dusk.

* * *

Blake was alone on the team's dorm. She was packing her things on a small bag, planning to spend the weekend out of Beacon. She preferred to do this alone without anyone's help to avoid questions. Her team kept the pregnancy a secret… if Weiss hadn't told team JNPR yet. That was the second secret that Blake was hiding, the first being about her specie and the other about the small person growing on her belly.

Suddenly, her teammates entered the dorm, coming from the cafeteria. Blake had told them that she wasn't feeling well to have a chance to be alone for awhile and clear her mind.

"Where are you going?!" Asked Ruby seeing the bag.

"I have been talking with Ozpin. He allows me to stay for now."

The headmaster had told her that for now that her belly was flat and the pregnancy was a secret, she could keep assisting at the classes but wouldn't go on training missions and wouldn't participate on Glynda's sparring classes. She wouldn't participate on the Vytal tournament either.

"Then why are you packing your things?" Asked Xiao Long.

"I have made an agreement with Adam."

"Do you finally have his consent to get an abortion?" Asked Weiss.

"No."

On all her visits to the Vale branch White Fang headquarter, Adam, drunk or sober, always denied the abortion. Her teammates staying silent, knowing that the future of the team was at stake if the third member was a mother.

"Will you have the baby?" Dared to ask Yang.

"I… don't know." Said Blake, closing the bag. "He wants to show me that he can be a good father and that we could raise a child without sacrificing our professions."

"How would you do it? You have to stay at Beacon except on weekends and here children are not allowed." Reasoned Schnee.

What Blake needed less were questions. That was why she didn't join her team on the cafeteria. She felt like they were more immature towards this topic, only Yang had precaution with her words and really knew what was talking about. Ruby was a child and Weiss had been confined on her mansion most of her life and none of the knew nothing about maternity. Only Yang could know something, seeing Ruby's mother pregnant and how they raised her despite later being just the father on the house. Something similar to what Adam had proposed to her.

" _Let me show you that I can take care of both. Give me a chance to be a father."_ He assured her.

"He would take care of him and on weekends we would be together… That's what he assures me." Blake saw confusion on her teammates' faces. "He is the father, he deserves a chance but I will have to take strides if he doesn't keep his word."

Belladonna was too tired to keep chatting and Adam at this time would be waiting for her at the entrance of the forever fall forest, where they kept hidden the headquarter from humans and authorities. She didn't even say goodbye to her team and thought about sleeping all weekend since it had been long since she had a proper rest.

* * *

Adam had brought her to his room, the room they had shared during a few years. What she liked the most was the king-sized bed, that was comfortable to do whatever she wanted. With only seeing it, she yawned.

"If you're tired you need to sleep, my darling." Said Adam, taking care of her things. " We can have dinner and then drift to sleep."

Blake nodded, remembering that he had bought noodles from the old man's restaurant on Vale, her favorite and with fish. She stole her bag from Adam's hands with certain rudeness and locked herself on the bathroom to change into her pajamas. Despite being mother and father, Belladonna had said him clearly that she didn't want to be on a relationship again. He accepted it but deep down he still wanted to be lovers and Blake knew he would try it.

When she got out of the bathroom, she found that Adam had already put the noodles in the bowls and was ready to eat dinner with her. Blake left her bag on the part of the closet that she used to put her clothes in and now was empty. Taurus patted the couch beside him and the cat faunus sat there, keeping some distance between them. He lend her tuna noodles as both started to eat.

"Do you really want to be a huntress? Didn't I teach you well?" He asked.

Blake sighed. He promised her that he wouldn't push her to return to the White Fang or question her about the decision she made. With only and amber glance, Adam understood the message. They ate in silence but the cat faunus had an increase in hunger so she devoured the dinner, something similar to what Nora Valkyrie made every day.

"Are you going to eat that?" Asked Blake pointing at his noodles

"Will you bite me if I don't give this to you?" He asked back.

Blake narrowed her eyes at him. Taurus, scared, gave the noodle bowl to her. He watched as she finished it up, two bowls extra noodles with tuna for dinner eaten by a seventeen-year-old cat faunus.

"I'm eating for two now." She said when saw how Adam was staring at her.

"Of course, my darling…" He only said.

Once Blake had finished, stretched her arms and yawned. She was just like a cat who ate and now was ready for a long nap.

As she used to do, the cat faunus went to her side of the bed and covered herself with the blankets. Adam, instead, sat on the table to finish cleaning and repairing Wilt and Blush, that had a scratch on its sheath. Blake drifted off to sleep without even caring to digest the dinner and immediately started to purr. The soft and relaxing sound reminded Adam of when they were together as a couple. He had missed it, her, everything.

He didn't even touch his weapon and got up to stare at the pregnant faunus. He stared mesmerized for a moment at her peaceful expression, quietly sleeping, deeply dreaming. He sat on his side of the bed and took his shoes, pants and shirt off. He laid beside her and carefully meditated if he could touch her. She warned him to not cross a line or she would get angry but he just wished to embrace her and put his hand on her belly. Even though she would get mad if she woke up, Taurus wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands on her flat stomach. He breathed on her hair, making his nose tingle, but the comfort and warmth soon made him drift away to sleep.

Blake's eyes opened suddenly, waking up from a peaceful slumber. She felt a wave of acid going up her throat and felt the urge to move to the bathroom. She tried to get up but Adam's arms were around her. She pushed him away and ran to the bathroom, locking herself inside.

Taurus woke up when felt Blake running away from him. He thought that it was his fault, that she had found him cuddling her, but when heard the sound of her throwing up understood everything. He got up and knocked at the restroom door, but Blake didn't answer and kept coughing.

"My love, let me come in." He asked.

Belladonna, from inside of the bathroom, unblocked the door and let the father of the baby enter the room. The bull faunus found Blake kneeled before the WC, breathing heavily. He kneeled behind her, held her hair with one hand and passed his arm around her so she wouldn't fall if she threw up again. As the cat faunus expected, she barfed another wave of vomit, throwing up the dinner she ate a few hours ago. He just held her tight until she was stable and sat on the floor.

She was weary, extremely pale, sweating and had dark circles under her eyes.

"You are trembling." He said wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Let's take you back to the bed."

Adam helped her get up and walked back to the bedroom. He made her lay back on the couch and covered her with the blankets. Blake stared at the clock on the wall in half an hour he would have to go to the collective training.

"Don't worry about me, I will stay here and sleep for a while." She said, knowing that on Saturdays he still had duties only on the morning.

"No way, I'm going to skip training and stay with you. I know that morning sickness is harsh and I want to be by your side." He said, laying on the bed too and making her lay her head on his lap.

He rubbed her back slowly, trying to calm her down and make her feel better. Then passed his fingers through her hair and at last caressed her cat ears. Blake purred softly and slightly moaned when he touched her sensitive faunus traits. He knew how to make her feel good and forget the sickness.

"Sleep, my love. It's early." He whispered softly.

* * *

When the weekend passed, Belladonna had to return to the Academy. Adam carried her bag as he accompanied her back to Beacon despite his hatred towards the humans and that institution. He insisted her on staying on the headquarter as she said she had been comfortable these two days with him but Blake didn't accept the invitation.

"You know you are welcome any day, anytime, if you need to talk with someone or you feel bad, come with me, please." He asked.

"I will keep that in mind, Adam."

The couple walked up the cliff to Beacon. The bull faunus could smell the human's scent and growled unconsciously. Blake stopped walking and grabbed her bag.

"Until next week." She said as a goodbye, but Taurus grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"I want to accompany you to the entrance.. even though I dislike humans."

Blake expected him to insist her once more to stay and certainly that took her by surprise.

"That's a big effort coming from you. Will you behave?" Adam nodded.

Blake's hands went to Taurus' mask, taking it off. Adam put in on the internal pocket of his coat. Nobody could know that he was a member of the White Fang and less someone of the Academy that fights against evil. Taurus did that because didn't trust those humans and wanted Blake to see that he was making an effort to support her on her decisions. Blake, for her part, untied the bow from Gambol Shroud and tied it around her head, covering her cat ears.

"You are beautiful, Blake. No matter which species you pretend to be." He flattered with certain sadness.

The cat faunus nodded and grabbed his hand to lead him the way to the entrance of Beacon. Probably at that late hour on a Sunday nobody would be on the courtyard. Nevertheless, Blake's guesses were wrong because her team was waiting for her near the entrance.

"Look, there's Blake!" Yelled the team leader, using her semblance to go and welcome her first.

Blake and Adam saw a trail of red rose petals coming towards her. She told him not to panic and just stood immobile to not make Ruby crash with them. Taurus stared amazed at how from the burst of rose petals a young girl appeared, cheerfully smiling at Blake. Her smirk disappeared when saw Taurus beside her, grabbing her teammate's hand.

"You are back!" She said trying to pretend happiness for her friend's return.

Before Ruby could ask about the male horned faunus, Yang and Weiss arrived running, exhausted because the team leader's speed was too quick for them, didn't matter how much trained they were. Yang panted heavily and Weiss tried to keep the good form. Nevertheless, they had the same reaction when saw Adam beside Blake, holding her hand.

"These are my teammates." Blake explained. "This is Adam."

"Is he the father of the baby?" Asked Weiss analyzing him, glancing at his black horns.

Blake nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Adam!" Greeted Ruby, as cheerful as ever. "This blonde over here is my sister Yang and the annoying white girl is Weiss."

"Good to know." He only said, trying to smile but making an awkward expression.

"Don't call me annoying, you dumb!" Complained Weiss.

"Will you scold me, Schnee?" Joked Ruby sticking out her tongue.

When Adam heard the name "Schnee" couldn't help but stare at the corky girl. Unconsciously, he showed his teeth and fangs at her, the rage taking control of him. Belladonna caressed his shoulder trying to calm him down as he had started to growl. Weiss took a step backwards just for precaution and grabbed Myrtenaster just in case the faunus tried to attack her. Blake had mentioned the father of the baby was from a former partner of the White Fang. And the faunus on the organization hated her family name.

Yang's eyes turned slightly red, seeing that Taurus was still growling at Weiss.

"I don't care who you are but if you hurt any of my teammates you will regret it." Warned Xiao Long, including Blake, Weiss and her sister on the threat.

Taurus made a step forward, covering Blake behind him instinctively and faced the blonde huntress. Their red eyes met, fury and rage on both, their hands on their respective weapons.

"Adam." Belladonna warned, rubbing his back. "Calm down, please. You promised me you would control yourself in front of them."

Taurus broke the visual contact with Yang and made a step backward.

"What assures me that they won't hurt you?" He asked.

"We are friends with Blake, we love her no matter what. She is in good hands." Tried to convince Ruby.

Adam had no other choice than nod and trust in Ruby's word. She was just a silly innocent girl that had idolized the job as a huntress but Taurus couldn't do much about it, just leave before anyone spotted him there.

What he didn't know is that a certain dusty bird was on a tree and had been following them since Blake left the Academy on Friday night.

* * *

The tension between Adam and Blake's human friends had decreased over the weeks. They met on the entrance each week when Blake left and returned to Beacon. Adam still glanced at Schnee with sprite and received a threatening stare from Yang but thanks to Rose the calm remained.

"A Schnee is one of your best friends…" Commented Adam while going to the headquarter. "I can't believe it."

"Don't judge her. She accepted me time by time when learned that I wasn't a thread. She had never been around faunus since her family is the principal target of the White Fang. It's the only vision they had shown her of our species." Explained Blake.

Taurus sighed and held Belladonna's hand gently. If it weren't for her, he would already have planned an attack at Beacon Academy to get rid of Schnee and the other annoying huntresses. But that would hurt his love and their future relationship and legacy were at stake.

The couple of faunus heard a growling sound near. Blake's cat ears perked as she tried to focus and hear what kind of creature was following them. Adam's gloved hand traveled to his Wilt, ready to attack in case a stray Grimm tried to hurt him or his love. Nevertheless, Blake wasn't a damsel in distress and also grabbed Gambol Shroud, ready against the threat.

"Put that down and let me take care of this." Adam scolded her, not wanting Blake to make an effort and fight.

But Blake wasn't willing to obey him. She was pregnant, not useless. A big Ursa suddenly came out of the scarlet bushes and Blake threw Gambol Shroud, nailing the sharp edge on the Ursa's neck and jumping to tangle the black ribbon around it. Adam used his lover's movement to aim at the Grimm's forehead and make a clean short in its third eye. Before the Grimm could fall dead, Adam jumped and lifted Blake on his arms to not fall from the monster.

"What did I tell you, Blake?" Adam asked annoyed. "Don't make efforts, why can't you just obey?"

Suddenly, Blake's eyes watered and Adam opened his eyes in fear seeing the tears that he caused starting to fall. The cat faunus started to cry silently, covering her face with her hands. She felt pathetic, why was she crying in the first place?

"Blake, I didn't mean to scold you." Adam said, trying to calm Belladonna. But that didn't work and Blake just shook her head while trying to dry her tears. But the tears just kept falling down.

"Is this one of those pregnancy mood swings?" Adam asked to himself, reaching for Blake to embrace her but she just stepped back.

"I don't know, don't touch me." She replied, still crying.

"Alright, but let's keep moving or you will attract more Grimm." Adam said calmly, trying to make her understand.

Blake suddenly embraced his arm and followed him, staying as close as she could, Adam almost dragging her behind him. Just a moment ago she told him to not touch her but now she was embracing him. Women…

* * *

Adam's subordinates were called at 3 am for an urgent operation. They all found their leader in front of the door of his room, making them stay firmly on their feet in an alphabetical line. Adam wasn't wearing his mask and everybody could notice dark circles under his eyes, a sign of lack of sleep.

"I've called my best men in such unusual timing to assign you to the most important and urgent mission I've ever commanded." Taurus started, scaring slightly his men. "You'll have to infiltrate the city in search of something hard to find, almost impossible I would dare to say…"

"What is it, sir?" The lieutenant asked.

"I want you to find the best tuna in Vale. And quick." Adam sentenced.

The men stared at each other petrified, perplexed for their leader's unusual order. There were no shops open at 3 am they would have to do the impossible to find fresh tuna in the city.

"Didn't you hear me? I need the tuna now!" Adam yelled.

The leader motioned for his subordinates to leave for their new mission and nobody dared to reply back and question the real purpose behind his orders. Once Adam was left alone, he entered his room and found his whimsical kitten half asleep.

"Where is my tuna?" She asked, embracing Adam as soon as he laid on the bed.

"I have my best men on it." Adam replied, snuggling close to his pregnant lover.

"I crave tuna…" Blake mumbled, closing her eyes to rest while waiting.

"I know, I know, my love…" He whispered, knowing he couldn't fall asleep before his men arrived with what Blake wanted to eat.

A sudden knock woke up the loving couple. Adam stared at the clock, it was nearly 4 am. Then he stared back at Blake who was rubbing her eyes like a child.

"Is that my tuna?" She asked in a hoarse voice.

Adam got up from the bed and walked towards the door, passing his hands through his red hair to look presentable in front of his subordinates. When he opened the door found Perry standing with a plastic bag full of tuna cans.

"I have found it, sir." Perry said, showing him the number of cans he had collected in gas stations or 24 hours open stores.

"Well done, Perry." Adam praised him but before he could grab the bag, Blake appeared and stole it, mumbling a low 'thank you' before returning to the bed. "You can retire now." The leader ordered in a severe tone, noticing how he stared at Blake when she appeared.

Taurus closed the door and stared at the happy cat faunus as she ate the first can of tuna. Adam smiled satisfied and sat on the couch behind her, passing his arms around her waist to hug her. Blake continued eating as Adam snuggled into her neck and placed his palm over their growing child inside her belly.

"Is it good?" Adam asked as she opened a second can.

"It's delicious. The best I've had in my life." Blake said before putting more fish on her mouth. "You should make Perry your right hand."

"You were my right hand, love." And she left him, he could never trust anyone else after being betrayed by the person he loved the most.

Adam felt Blake stopping her regular breath. She left the second can of tuna empty inside the plastic bag and got up from the bed, refusing Adam's touch. She turned very angry to face the bull faunus.

"I thought that we left clear that we wouldn't talk about the past." Blake said hurt. "I left you because you pushed me! Don't try to make me feel guilty."

"It was just a simple commentary." Taurus excused himself, going behind Blake and touching her arms to calm her. She didn't refuse his touch and Adam embraced her, burying her face on his chest and petting her cat ears gently to relax her.

"Save the commentaries for yourself next time." Belladonna scolded him with her voice half-muffled due to the tight hug.

Adam was sure that sudden mood swing was another symptom of the pregnancy just like her cries after killing the Grimm in the forest that afternoon.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Taurus whispered softly. "I still love you, Blake."

Belladonna slowly pushed Adam's body away to have some space and think straight. As soon as her eyes met his, he placed his hand on her cheek and brought her face closer to his. Taurus' eyes moved to her lips and leaned slightly to reach them. Blake stayed frozen and not knowing what to do she closed her eyes when saw that a kiss was about to happen.

He had done a lot of efforts since he knew about her pregnancy. He tried to control himself and met her teammates, let her stay with him in the headquarter and skipped training to stay with her whenever she felt sick or just didn't want to be left alone. He tried to be an exemplary father to show her he could handle a child. But Adam also wanted her, they couldn't raise a child if there wasn't love between them. He needed her, her love.

Their lips met briefly and Adam tasted the sweet flavor that he had missed so much after Blake left the White Fang. Unluckily, Blake broke the kiss and pushed him away.

"Stop." Belladonna said when Adam tried to come closer to her once more. She covered her lips ashamed, they burned. "We should rest."

Taurus agreed and left the bag with the cans of tuna on his desk. Belladonna sank between the pillow and the blankets and turned around to show her back to Adam. She didn't want to fall for him again but the way he treated her was making it very difficult. Nevertheless, when Adam joined her in bed Blake couldn't refuse his tight embrace and sleep close to him all night.

* * *

Taurus knew he screwed up last night by kissing Blake. Even in her sleep, Adam could tell that she was upset. He had to do something to compensate his love so he ordered one of his men to call a doctor and give Blake a nice surprise. Once all he needed was ready, Adam sat beside Blake on the bed and kissed her cheek to wake her up.

"My love, I have a surprise for you." Adam whispered softly at her cat ears.

Blake's ears perked up as she opened her eyes. She found Adam already dressed and holding out her hand for her to follow him.

"Give me five minutes." Belladonna asked as she rubbed her eyes and walked slowly to the bathroom.

Taurus sat on the chair in front of his desk and waited for the cat faunus. Belladonna had never been one to spend hours in the bathroom but since the pregnancy the time increased. Maybe it was because she didn't feel good or because of the small bump on her belly. Their child. Nevertheless, Adam was still worried. He was in charge of the Vale branch of the White Fang but wanted to have a private house somewhere else. Blake wouldn't let him keep the child with him in the headquarters. But the most important thing was his love. He needed to have Blake once again by his side, in love.

"I'm ready to go." Blake said once she got out of the bathroom. She had washed her face and her hair was now nicely combed. A spark of curiosity was shining brightly in her eyes.

Adam lent her his hand and together got out of their dorm. Most trainees were busy but they couldn't avoid the glances of some brothers of the White Fang in the hallways on their way to the infirmary. Taurus saw how Blake folded her cat ears down, a thing she did when she was sad, embarrassed or insecure. Instead of going downstairs, Adam decided to use the elevator to avoid any more encounters. Blake internally thanked him for that because the infirmary was just one floor above.

Once the door of the elevator got closed, Blake stared at Adam, who was pretty silent. Same as her. Their eyes met for a moment and she broke the eye contact abruptly. She didn't want to fall for him again and less after their kiss yesterday.

"Are you upset?" Adam asked, not knowing why she was so silent. Of course Blake was usually shy and didn't speak much. But when Adam had a surprise asking questions would be the most normal thing in the world.

"No." Blake replied immediately and slightly stared at him. She didn't see him convinced by her answer. "Don't worry." She insisted, caressing his palm with her thumb slightly. She just hoped the surprise wasn't a romantic time together.

Adam didn't speak again and he led her directly at their destiny once they reached the first floor. Taurus opened the door for her to come in but Blake didn't move and stared worried at the signal with the word 'infirmary' in it. She had never liked the infirmary, needles and white coats in general.

"I told you I'm fine." Blake said upset.

"Come in. Don't be stubborn." He insisted, wanting to avoid any confrontation, especially on Sunday when she had to return to Beacon that same afternoon. She wanted her to return to the Academy happy so she would miss spending time with him and want the weekend to come soon.

"Mrs. Belladonna." The doctor greeted, being attracted by their argument. Blake stared at him almost in panic. "Don't be shy, come in."

Blake had no other option than enter the infirmary with the doctor in front of her and Adam in her back, no way to escape. Why would a visit to the doctor be a nice surprise?

The doctor was some kind of reptile faunus with scales on parts of his face. He led them to the bottom of the room where he had prepared a bed for her to lay and a strange machine. Belladonna made eye contact with Adam but he didn't say anything to her.

"Please, lay down." The doctor instructed while he put latex gloves on.

Blake wanted to ask the reason why of all of that but at the same time she didn't want to argue with Adam and the reptile doctor. She resigned and laid down on the mattress, waiting in a bad mood for that medical check to start. The doctor put on a blanket covering her legs and then turned on his machine. Blake sighed annoyed.

"Feeling a little bit grumpy today?" Adam whispered to her, standing beside the mattress.

"What's the point of all of this?" Belladonna finally asked, ignoring Taurus.

"We're going to have a look inside your belly, Mrs. Belladonna." The doctor saw her shock face and guessed that she must have the so well known mood swings. "If you allow me, of course."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Blake asked at Adam. So it was just a check on their growing baby. "I was scared."

"Sorry, my darling. I wanted it to be a surprise." Taurus replied, now happy that her reaction was positive.

"May I?" The doctor asked, his fingers on the end of her shirt. Blake nodded and gave him her consent to lift it. "This is a little cold."

The doctor put some transparent cream on Blake's belly and she shivered despite his previous warning. It was very cold but immediately the doctor massaged her lower belly to expand the cream. Then he placed a white device over her creamy belly and turned the screen of the machine for Adam and Blake to see. At first everything they could stare at was grey spots but then the doctor moved the device over Blake until a small white figure was found.

"Do you want to know the sex and the faunus traits of the baby?" The doctor asked as he tried to get a better sight of the growing baby.

Belladonna felt Adam suddenly holding her hand. Their glances met and he waited for Blake to make a decision. She knew Taurus was dying to know more about their unborn child and honestly Blake also wanted to know what was carrying inside of her.

"Yes, we want to know." Adam said once Blake nodded and gave her approval.

The doctor zoomed in the image and stayed silent for a few seconds. That worried the couple of faunus.

"Is everything alright?" Belladonna dared to ask as they gave for granted a healthy child and maybe that wasn't their case.

"It's a girl." The doctor said and then zoomed in the supposed head of the baby. "It's growing horns like the father."

The image of a young and beautiful redhead girl with bull horns appeared in Blake's mind. Suddenly her heart beated strong. Was that her motherly instincts kicking in? She didn't desire this baby at first but now she certainly wanted to keep her. And Adam's glance said the same, maybe he could love their daughter as he loved Blake: endless and forever.

The doctor lent the couple a series of photos of the ecography and now Blake could appreciate the two small pointy horns in the head of the developing child.

"Can I have one copy?" Blake asked. She wanted to give a surprise to her teammates back in Beacon.

Adam frowned but Blake was too happy to notice or say something about it. What worried Taurus more was that his instincts were never wrong. And he felt like that extra copy would bring them problems.

* * *

The image of the growing baby was thrown on the wood table. Ozpin and Qrow were in top of the Beacon tower, in the clock that kept counting each second that was made of gold. Qrow took the photo and gave it a look. Ozpin was unpredictable so all that Qrow has left was irony.

"Congratulations, Oz. You will be a great father." Brawen mocked.

The old headmaster smirked before drinking some coffee from his mog. This matter could only be trusted with Qrow, who knew the importance of forming a new team of protectors of Remnants. Belladonna was one of the bests and maternity couldn't get in the way.

"I need you to follow Miss. Belladonna in order to know the location of the White Fang Vale Branch headquarters." Ozpin said. "General Ironwood is on his way, he will intervene when the time arrives."

And Qrow, blined for his loyalty towards Ozpin, accepted the mission and flew away, not caring about who could be hurt as a consequence of his actions.

* * *

"In your absence I think about you a lot." Adam confessed while walking.

"Have you arrived to a conclusion yet?" Blake asked, following his game.

Taurus stayed silent for a few moments as the leaves of the Forever Fall forest rustled with each one of their steps towards the headquarter. Belladonna's cat ears twitched when heard the same bird flying over them again. She slowed down her pace and tried to track it. Adam noticed something was wrong so he stopped and followed the same direction Blake's eyes were laid on: a crow.

"Are you superstitious, darling?" Taurus mocked, trying to steal a smile from her.

Belladonna shook her head as the bird flew away into the red trees of the forest and glanced at her partner, who was as concerned as her.

"Can we hurry? I need to use the bathroom." The cat faunus said, wanting to leave the wildness of the forest as soon as possible. Something was creeping her and her sixth sense was never wrong.

The couple of faunus picked up the pace and soon arrived at the headquarter. While Blake was in the bathroom taking a shower, Adam ordered some new clothes and dinner to eat in the privacy of their room. He was sure something about Blake's mentality has changed, but wasn't sure if it was for his behavior with her or only for knowing more about their child growing inside her: a beautiful horned girl. Now the baby was no longer a chin that tied both of them together, at least it was no longer a way to keep Blake by his side.

Belladonna came out of the bathroom with her pajamas on, the borrowed T-shirt being a little short, not covering the lower part of her belly so she had to pull up her short pants in order to cover her skin. Adam couldn't resist it and approached her to place his hand over her stomach that was starting to grow.

"The doctor sent me what kind of vitamins you need to take." Taurus said, remembering the letter half-open in his desk.

"For me or the baby?" Belladonna asked, surprised by his relaxed demeanor. At first Adam was nervous and anxious to meet her and have everything perfect for her return at the headquarters but now he was more comfortable with her and his internal fears seemed to go away with each day they spent together.

"Both of you." The bull faunus replied. "I wrote to Sienna a month ago telling her about our…situation. She will send a substitute for the next months to cover me in the weekends while I take care of you."

Two knocks on the door interrupted the sweet moment between them. Adam went to open the door to Perry, who was carrying their dinner. That left Blake time to think about his last words while preparing the table to eat together. Adam loved his job, his strong passion and drive made him the best in training and leading the brothers and sisters of the Vale branch. He was renouncing to his cause to dedicate his time to her even if Blake didn't need much assistance now. She really appreciated his actions and Khan's generosity and compression.

"Rice and tuna or steak with vegetable sauce?" Taurus asked, leaving the warm tupperwares in the table.

"Do I really need to answer to that question?" Belladonna mocked. Adam immediately handed her the fish with rice.

They ate calmly and Adam listened and asked Blake questions about her week at Beacon. She told him there was a field trip coming but she was not allowed to go since it was dangerous and asked Adam if she could spend those days with him. He was elated to have her more than the weekends and effusively told her that she could stay as long as she wanted. The rest of the classes Blake had were theoretically and in the sparring lessons she only had to assist and her grades would still be perfect as they used to be before the pregnancy.

"You are lucky to have your teammates." Adam suddenly spat out.

"Why?" Blake asked, worried in case his commentary was just sarcasm.

"They convinced Ozpin to let you stay, didn't they? He accepted because you are one of the top students but your friends' support has been really helpful." Adam explained and Blake's factions softened.

The cat faunus agreed with Adam and finished her dinner quickly. The routine wasn't as light as it used to be before the baby and the missing hours of sleep were hard to recover while being at the academy. Luckily in the White Fang headquarter during weekends she could rest freely. Adam noticed Blake's tiredness and stared while she yawned. She noticed his glance on her and covered her face shyly to hide the upcoming blush.

"On Fridays everybody is tired." Adam commented, not wanting to make her feel guilty.

He knew all Blake wanted and needed at that moment was a good restful sleep. As she left the dishes ordered, Adam prepared the bed for her to rest. He insisted to Blake to leave the dishes and get in bed as he exited the room to bring the dirty dishes at the kitchen.

Belladonna immediately let herself fall on the couch and covered her body with the blankets. Adam was very kind and making a great effort for her. She was starting to feel a tingling sensation on her stomach. She fell asleep almost immediately and only recovered her conscience when felt Adam's weight sinking the left side of the bed. She searched for his hand and made him pass his arm around her waist and place his palm above her belly, something almost unconscious.

"I'm sorry you've had deal with my pregnancy hormones lately…" Blake apologized herself.

"Well, thank you for carrying our child." Adam replied.

Belladonna kept thinking about that last sentence and the fact that at first she wanted to get an abortion. Maybe she was committing a mistake by staying by Adam's side again but it was their decision as future parents.

* * *

Three stubborn knocks on the door. Nobody replied. Three more and then waited for a few seconds.

Blake's cat ears perked as she noticed the hits on the wood of the door. She rubbed her eyes slightly, still asleep. Nevertheless, when she felt the urge on the knocks, her senses triggered. She stared at her side and saw Adam deeply asleep. His hair was messy and his face relaxed, it was a rare sight. Too bad she had to wake him up.

"Adam!" Belladonna whispered, shaking his chest. Adam immediately opened his eyes. "Someone is knocking on the door."

Taurus gave a quick kiss on Blake's forehead and got up, sloppily searching for his shoes. The person behind the door knocked again but this time the polite knocks were turned to violent hits. At the other side of the wood someone was calling Adam by his given name.

"Stay here." Taurus warned, a bad feeling on his stomach. It was unusual to have somebody disturbing him during the night. He opened the door and found one of his trainees anxiously sweating.

"Sir, the Atlas military forces are here. We're under attack!" He informed to Adam.

Adam immediately ran to grab his weapon. Blake, who was still sitting on the bed, tried to do the same but he stopped her.

"Please, Blake, hide on the closet and don't make a sound." Taurus begged, placing his mask over his face.

"I can help." Belladonna replied.

But none of Blake's sentences could convince Adam. He wasn't willing to let Blake fight in her state. He would be constantly distracted watching her back and if she stayed in the room he would be more effective in combat. Taurus opened the doors of the closet and pushed Blake inside.

"Take care of yourself and our baby girl. I'll come back for you, I promise." He assured her.

Belladonna didn't even have time to reply. She knew every second was gold and making Adam wait would mean a life less inside the headquarters. They both could hear the shots from the guns and the furniture being destroyed, pushed and pulled around.

"I love you." Blake said and grabbed Taurus by the back of his neck and gave him an intense kiss on the lips. Taurus, shocked, returned the kiss with the same passion.

Blake wanted him to return but despite his promise, something didn't let her trust his words. Adam closed the door of the closet and a few seconds later Blake heard the door of the room closing too. Their location had been discovered by someone and whoever it was they sent the troops to aniquilate them. One thing was sure, Blake wouldn't stay hidden in such critical situation. Adam could be arrested in the best of cases… At that point she couldn't leave him anymore.

Belladonna got out of the closet with Gambol Shroud on her hands. She opened one of the drawers and found the other mask Adam had. She had to hide her identity to fight, if someone identified her and Ozpin knew she was in the White Fang she wouldn't even be allowed to enter Beacon Academy.

Looking through the narrow marks of the mask, Blake went out of the room to join the fight for her people even if they were misguided. The second floor, the one with all the bedrooms, was already empty. She could hear the gunshots downstairs and hurried to the first floor.

Peeking out of the corner, she found that the White Fang members were hiding behind the almost destroyed furniture that was left in the big conference room. On the other side, not too far from the door, there were General Ironwood soldiers. Blake crawled and quickly sneaked around until she could cover her entire body with a big shelf. Another faunus brother fell to the floor due to a shot on the chest. The thought that the next could be Adam gave Blake the courage to load Gambol Shroud of dust and ammo and start to shoot at the resistant armor of the troops.

The shots seemed to never end. More soldiers kept coming inside the room and soon the faunus were cornered. Suddenly, smoke appeared from two bombs that were thrown inside the room. Blake coughed and leaned to the floor to breathe fresh air, but there was none of it left.

"Upstairs! Quick!" She heard Adam order at the White Fang members that were still standing.

But before anybody could step on the stairs, more soldiers came from the second floor, blocking the access. Everybody was now trapped in the big conference room where Adam used to give orders before missions.

One of the soldiers threw a fire grenade at the giant map covering one of the walls. A part from the artificial smoke coming out from the bombs, the nocive greyish smoke from the fire contaminated the room, but there was no escape. The shots stopped and were replaced by coughs and faunus yelling while the soldiers from the first lines tried to apprehend them.

"Surrender or die!" The General yelled.

Blake saw Adam's intentions from a mile away. He was staring upstairs, where he thought she was still hiding. He would get there no matter what and in the process he would get shot by the soldiers that tried to calm down the faunus terrorists. She had to do something before he made a risky choice.

"Adam!" Blake suddenly yelled, getting up from the floor and avoiding the soldier she had at her left.

The bull faunus turned around and into the fog saw a masked female faunus trying to reach for him. The intensity of the smoke didn't let him recognize Blake. The cat faunus struggled to pass through the soldiers as Adam made shy steps towards her, the guns aiming at his head.

The other faunus let their weapons down as the situation wasn't any good. General Ironwood whispered something to one of his men and he followed the cat faunus. Blake felt two arms around her waist, restraining her extremities and trying to put her down. She resisted and tried to advance towards Taurus.

"No!" Blake yelled as she felt how her feet didn't touch the ground and the soldier tried to carry her somewhere else. "Adam!"

This time her voice was unconfusable for Taurus, who immediately ran to help his partner and lover.

"Blake!" He yelled and pushed people aside, making his way to her.

One thing Belladonna couldn't stand was being the damsel in distress. She hit the soldier on the chin with her elbow strong enough to make him let go of her. Blake fell to the floor and her mask too, leaving her identity visible to everybody. He saw Adam fighting two soldiers violently just to be by her side. Nevertheless, Blake's freedom didn't last long. Two metal handcuffs were tied around her wrists, immobilizing her arms completely.

General Ironwood motioned his men to bring Blake out of there. She struggled as much as she could, achieving to hit on the face a second soldier holding her legs. Her heels touched the round and she ran to the other side of the room where Adam was being restrained.

"Catch her!" Ironwood ordered as Blake sneaked under a large table.

As soon as she got on her feet and the soldiers had a clear sight, a dard was shot at her back. Belladonna felt the small itch of it and tried to continue advancing but her feet didn't respond at her actions, making her go from one side to another. Before her legs fell under the sedative control, a pair of men grabbed her from behind, preventing the fall.

The soldier's weapon that was in front of Belladonna was lifted. It was too late before the half-conscious Blake could realize what was about to happen.

"Blake!" Taurus screamed until his vocal cords hurt.

The cat faunus barely felt the impact as she had lost most of her senses. Nevertheless, her sight could still recognize colors and the red staining her white shorts. A void replaced the warmth inside of her and the shadows swallowed her until unconsciousness.

* * *

"My love." She heard the distant echoes of his beloved's voice. "Darling, please, wake up." Those echoes slowly were turned to sorrowful begs.

Belladonna forced herself to open her eyes and recover the conscience. Slowly, her sense came back to her. Her ears recognized a constant beep and Adam's voice was each time closer. Her touch sensed a hand tightening hers and a finger softly stroking her palm. Her mouth had a disgusting taste and was dry for all the hours that passed by.

"Blake." Adam insisted when saw that she was starting to move her finger to touch his hand too. Adam slightly shook her arm. "Look at me, Blake."

Belladonna's eyelids moved up and down. The intense light made her close her eyes again as a reflex. But Adam's insistence forced her to open her eyes and try to focus her sight on his blurry face.

"Adam…" She said with her voice raspy for not having drunk nothing in the past hours. "What happened?"

While her sight got used to the light of the room, she started to remember the last things that happened: the attack at the Vale branch headquarters, having to hide while the other fought and finally joining the fight just to fail.

"You're in the hospital. They had to stitch you in the head." Adam explained as Blake looked around and observed the hospital room. She had a band around her arm that was controlling her pulse and blood pressure. The machine beeped with each heartbeat.

A sharp pain hit Blake's stomach. She whimpered and caressed her belly, sensing more pain if she touched the area. Then she remembered how they hit her with a gun. Her heartbeats went quicker as a flash of the pool of blood appeared in her mind.

"Adam, is the baby alright?!" Blake exclaimed, trying to sit on the couch but not succeeding as her body was still too weak.

Taurus made her lay down and relax, trying to maintain his posture. He didn't break but his expression said everything he couldn't pronounce. He bent over and leaned in Blake's chest, holding both of her hands. She could even hear a shy sob.

"I'm sorry, Blake." He apologized, the burden in him didn't disappear. "I couldn't help none of you."

Belladonna, still in shock, caressed her belly as she couldn't believe what Adam was saying. Where there used to be warmth and life, now there were only pain and void left. Blake sobbed, realizing the small growing baby girl inside of her was now gone. Now all she could do was cling into Adam, hugging him tight as they both regretted everything that happened in the last hours. That loss wasn't only for the child but for the future plans they made together and the illusions they had created in their minds.

"But we still can see each other and continue together. I can't see my life without you." And especially now that she discovered his soft and most caring side and how well he behaved after she had lost her when she left him.

Adam lifted his face to look at Blake into her eyes.

"I made a deal with the military forces. You are returning to Beacon." He told her. Without Ozpin pulling the strings, none of that would have been possible.

"And you?" She asked, noticing something was definitely wrong.

Adam thought for a few seconds in which words would he use to explain the whole situation. He didn't have any strength left and doubted Blake could accept the reality, but she had to.

Nevertheless, Adam didn't even have time to start explaining the agreement with General Ironwood. Two soldiers entered the room without even saying a word and suddenly Adam's wrists got tied together with a device that Blake didn't notice until now. It got activated and was the two electronic bracelets got handcuffed together. It was ultimate Atlas technology. The guards grabbed Adam violently and separated him from Blake, who still couldn't understand what was happening.

"I'll make them pay for ruining our future, Blake. I promise they will." Taurus spit with anger with a face full of hatred she had been used to see before. The hate seed inside of him now was flourishing, it did everytime they were forced to split up. "I love you." He said before the guards forcefully dragged him out of the room.

"No, Adam!" Belladonna yelled and cried, suddenly realizing he would be sent to Ironwood's prison hold. "Adam!"

From the hallway, team RWY, who was waiting for Taurus to exit the room saw how he was violently treated and brought away from Blake. Then her teammates could hear her crying and yelling from inside her room. Yang immediately ran and entered the room, being followed by Weiss and Ruby.

"Blake!" Yang exclaimed and hurried to be by her side and prevent her from getting up and trying to go outside and reach for Adam. "Blake, lay down, please! You need to rest!"

The cat faunus cried loudly and breathed heavily, unable to relax. It all happened so quickly and hit them both, changing completely the path of their lives. Yang hugged Blake tight to prevent her from doing anything silly in such delicate mental state. She just lost her child and lover and she would need a lot of support to overcome all of it.

"He didn't deserve any of this!" Belladonna cried, sinking her face in Yang's warm embrace.

"You didn't deserve this neither." Weiss said, showing compassion towards her faunus friend.

Ruby was speechless and just remained silent, observing how quickly a life could change and end. She heard someone coming inside the room and turned to see who it was.

"Professor Ozpin!" She exclaimed.

Yang let go of Blake and dried her tears as she tried to recover a calm state. The headmaster of the academy cleared his throat and walked until he reached the bottom of the bed so he could see all the members of team RWBY. They waited expectantly for what Ozpin had to say. Even Blake, who was still wondering what exactly were the conditions of the agreement Adam made, didn't ask any question and waited for the headmaster to speak.

"Miss. Belladonna, I'm terribly sorry for everything that happened." Ozpin started, his expression as serious as always. "If I had known the father of the creature was the leader of the Vale branch of the White Fang I could have stopped General Ironwood's operative."

Belladonna stared deep into Ozpin's eyes and saw a spark of mystery. His words didn't seem too sincere but she didn't trust her instincts at that moment…

"Your recovering is the most important right now. You can reinstate Beacon whenever you feel ready." Ozpin continued.

That good new was enough to cheer the Team's mood and in Blake's case, forget the pain on her empty insides for a few seconds. Her teammates held her tight, even Weiss kept a grip on Blake's hand. The coldness of the Schnee Dust Company heiress made blake shiver and that stole a smirk on her face.

"Ozpin." Suddenly Qrow called, entering the room and seeing who had been hurt partially for his fault. "Can we talk outside?"

The headmaster of Beacon nodded and gave a last look on Team RWBY, exited the room. Belladonna kept her eyes on Qrow until they both got out of the room. Ruby paid attention to her strange expression as the same question wandered in their heads: why the location of the White Fang hideout hadn't been discovered until then?

"What is it, Blake?" Rose asked innocently.

"It might sound silly but on our way to the headquarter a crow had been following us. I think I'm starting to be superstitious." Blake commented without giving it much importance, saying something just to forget the pain. It was Ruby's uncle name that triggered her memories, something that had been forgotten but at that moment caught Blake's attention.

Yang and Ruby locked their glances together, realizing something at the exact same time. They both knew their uncle had some business with Ozpin, but maybe he was more implied in the assault at than they thought. At least, that would explain why the location had been discovered that day.

"Just promise me we'll stay together as friends and as a team." Belladonna said to her closest friends.

The half-sisters broke the eye contact and nodded at Blake, sharing another warm hug as the united team they were.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** I think "creepy" is a good word to describe abusive relationships, especially when the abuse gets physical and endangers your life. I'll take it as a compliment. Read you soon! Thank you for the review.

 **Karvost:** Hey! Thanks for catching up with the other drabbles and leaving a review as always. I hope you vote on the poll down at the end of this chapter. There are two good options but I can already guess you'll vote the number one. Am I right?

 **The Wizardous Magician:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked this drabble! I'm already starting the first part with a more different Adam (Not like in Star Wars style) but more toxic and dangerous, addictive in a way that Blake won't be capable of leaving him without looking back twice. Your review really made my day and made me laugh for a while. See you soon!

Here's next week's poll! Vote in the reviews so I post the drabble you'd like the most to read first:

 **Option #1:** Black Science: Merlot Industries rose from the shadows with a new project: studying the faunus genes and anatomy. Nevertheless, their twisted science becomes darker when faunus start to disappear. And that's when the White Fang comes in to help but with a high price to pay for Adam… and Blake.

 **Option #2:** First heat (M+ Drabble): First heat hits Blake just the morning she has training with her mentor, Adam. She tries to hide her own instincts and suppress the desire for mating with a male faunus. Nevertheless, an alpha male like Adam knows when a female is in heat and will take forever to convince his desperate pupil to help her and make an arrangement. Will Blake fall for her most primal instincts and mate with Adam? Or will she take another way to solve her little problem?


	28. First heat

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: First heat

 **A/N:** Happy New Year to every reader who enjoys my drabbles! I hope I can continue writing more for during these future years and that you continue reading!

The second option on the last poll was the most voted so here it is for you to enjoy.

 **Summary:** First heat hits Blake just the morning she has training with her mentor, Adam. She tries to hide her own instincts and suppress the desire for mating with a male faunus. Nevertheless, an alpha male like Adam knows when a female is in heat and will take forever to convince his desperate pupil to help her and make an arrangement. Will Blake fall for her most primal instincts and mate with Adam? Or will she take another way to solve her little problem?

 **Rating:** M+ (Non-explicit content but mature themes)

* * *

That morning Blake knew something inside her had changed. It wasn't because of the increasing alarm that told her to wake up but her own biological alarm that had set the time for that day. Her whole body ached and the simple friction with the pillow made Blake's skin shiver. She craved for contact, felt anxious, excited, saw the colors more brightly, her senses were totally aware even in the darkness.

It was her first heat.

That meant her female faunus reproduction instincts had just woken as she was now a young adult. The heat made every female yearn for a partner each season to mate and well… ensure the species survivance. Every faunus had to go through it, she couldn't avoid her primal instincts. She knew that with the pass of the years the heat could be deprived and controlled but the first ones were the most intense.

Male faunus had the heat too, but Belladonna had no idea of how that was manifested on men. She imagined something similar to what was happening to her. But Blake knew almost nothing about the heat because of her early departure from her family to join the White Fang. She had just heard random commentaries on the headquarter when someone was on their heat or when it was mating season.

The alarm stopped ringing. Ilia set off the disturbing device and turned to see her roommate sitting on the bed, immobile, staring at an undefined point of the room. Then the strong vanilla scent hit her.

"Woa!" Ilia muttered, pinching her nose with two of her fingers. "Ventilate the room!"

Blake reacted and opened the window, not aware about her own scent, that would catch every male attention and would make everybody know that she was on heat. Illa saw Belladonna acting weird but she figured it was because of the heat, not imagining that the cat faunus hadn't been through one before.

"I've got training with Adam…" Belladonna muttered, sleepy but very awake at the same time. A weird combination that made her move very fast but sloppily. The chameleon faunus watched from her bed how Blake dropped Gambol Shroud on her way to the bathroom. "Damn…" Ilia heard her mutter.

Blake closed the door behind her and stared at herself in the mirror. Her reflection was gorgeous, no dark circles under her eyes, no imperfections on her skin…It was the effect of the female faunus hormones. She felt attractive and took a lot of time to examine herself, not caring about the training season with Adam. Her breasts looked nicer, more full, the bra almost not fitting. Luckily, when she put on her clothes the difference was minimal and she looked the same. She forgot about showering, knowing that if she had to rub the soap against her skin it would have tremendous consequences.

Blake's cat ears perked when Ilia knocked on the door impatiently.

"Blake, I'm going to be late for your fault." The chameleon faunus complained from behind the door.

Belladonna let Ilia come inside. Amitola stared at her weirdly, observing her mouth half-open, the hotness of her body and the blush on her cheeks. The smell of her scent was intense but not awful like some other faunus in the headquarter.

"It's 8 a.m." Amitola said, awkward because Blake didn't quit staring at her. "Isn't Adam waiting for you?"

Finall,y Belladonna reacted properly and her mind worked correctly. The cat faunus dropped the comb she was using to brush her hair and exited the bathroom to quickly grab her weapon and leave. As always, Adam should be waiting for her at the entrance of the headquarter to go into the Forever Fall forest to train with the surprise guests: Grimm.

Nevertheless, Blake had arrived late and that meant Adam had went on his own to the usual location they used to train, under a very tall tree a few miles away from there.

Blake sighed, feeling a strange warmth on the low area of her stomach. She should run and try to catch Taurus to avoid problems.

* * *

Taurus sighed as he checked the time on his watch. Blake was arriving late, something unusual on her since she was strict and polite. Despite knowing she surely had a reason of weight for her delay, Adam entered the woods and arrived soon at their usual spot to train.

Adam smelled the scent of the darkness of a Grimm he had just sliced in two. The dust vanished before his eyes and soon the disgusting smell of death disappeared, leaving the forest as peaceful as ever. The patience wasn't one of Adam's virtues. He checked once more the time and pulled his scroll out of his pants pocket. Searching in his contacts, finally found Blake's number. He hesitated about calling her but as a White Fang trainee it was Blake's duty to attend to the training seasons with her mentor and learn to later participate in the faunus cause with security.

But suddenly, before his thumb could press the 'call' button, a sweet scent far away invaded his senses. There was no way he couldn't recognize that kind of smell: a female faunus in heat. The bull faunus smirked for himself and walked towards the direction of the scent, wondering who might be the one in heat. Adam imagined one of the trainees as most of them decided to also train in the Forest against the wild creatures of Grimm. Nevertheless, a shadow appeared between the crimson leaves of the landscape. Taurus stopped his steps and took his mask off to focus his sight on the distance.

It was Blake.

"I'm so sorry, Adam." She panted, leaning on her own knees to recover her breath after running for a while. "I overslept…" Belladonna said as an excuse, hoping Taurus would fall for it and be considerate with her.

Although she apologized twice, when the cat faunus looked up she found something strange in Adam's glance. It wasn't annoyance nor anger, it was something Blake still hadn't known.

"Do you know what would happen if I were in heat too?" Taurus stared, seeing how Blake's expression changed from worried to even more worried.

"How do you know I'm in-...?!" Blake couldn't finish her sentence, being cornered by Adam and easily pushed towards a tree.

Adam approached, blocking any possible escape, putting his hand on both sides of her head to prevent her from using her semblance and run. Belladonna didn't feel like running neither as the natural scent of Adam made her feel overwhelmed. A strong desire for him started to grow but Blake tried to resist the temptation.

"I can smell you kilometers away, darling." Adam said, softly caressing one black lock of her hair, something Blake couldn't feel but either way enjoyed his touch. "Males can detect females in heat and once they perceive one…"

"What?" Blake asked confused. Then remembered how Ilia asked her to ventilate the room and how she covered her nose. It was her scent that was announcing the arrival of her first heat. That meant everybody would know her state… Her cheeks got stained with red blush.

"Do you want me to help you?" Adam proposed, pushing his hand on her lower back toward his body. "We can keep it between you and I. Nobody needs to know." The bull faunus continued. It was common for close faunus friends to benefit each other during mating season. Nobody needed a sentimental and romantic relationship as those were just instincts that needed to be satisfied. Nevertheless, for young and inexperienced faunus like Blake, that didn't seem an option.

"No, thank you." Blake tried to sound firm but Adam's hot breath brushing her forehead made it difficult. "I want my first time to be special… Not like this." She muttered for herself.

"Romanticism is a luxury only humans have." Taurus warned her, amused by her ideals. "If I touch you…" Taurus left the sentence cut in a half and leaned forward, not even touching Blake. He blew his warm breath on the skin of her neck, making the cat faunus purr in bliss unwillingly submitting her to the faunus instincts. "... you are in heat, you can't resist me."

"Don't tease me." Blake begged, her whole body trembling due to the bull faunus proximity.

"Your will means nothing when your body is yearning for me, darling." He replied, cupping her cheek and seeing how she rubbed her face against his gloved palm. "Believe me, I can give you the most effective solution."

Belladonna couldn't deny it: she was tempted. If there was any potential male she would have as a mate it would be Adam. He was handsome, sexy, daring, brave, strong, older, his mentor… The attraction between them was undeniable and his insistence confirmed that it wasn't just one-sided, a young teenager phantasy.

"Isn't there any other solution?" Blake asked, desperate. She didn't want to mate, she didn't feel ready and didn't want to push herself despite being in heat. Yes, they were half animals but not wild.

"There is one, but it's not as satisfying as finding a mate." Adam replied, knowing Blake wouldn't give in but trying again just for kicks. "Are you sure you don't want me to…" He continued, playing with a lock of her hair.

"I'm sure." Blake sentenced, cutting his words. "I don't want to depend of anybody. I don't care if it is the way our instincts work." The cat faunus stared deep into Adam's eyes, serious. That seemed to work and Adam retired his hands from the tree trunk, letting her go.

"Follow me. We'll have to do it in my bathroom." Taurus just said. Belladonna didn't dare to ask about it and limited herself to just walk behind her mentor.

* * *

Blake waited on her feet, rubbing her legs together unconsciously. The arousal grew more since she met Adam. It was her own body knowing a male was close and it was making it difficult for her to resist the temptation. He wasn't making it easier neither.

"Can you hurry up? What's taking so long?" She asked, knocking on the bathroom's door.

He didn't reply but she could hear him moving inside the bathroom. After less than a minute, Adam opened the door and made Belladonna come inside with him. The cat faunus looked around and admired the beauty of the exclusive bathroom Adam had next to his room. As he was the leader of the branch, he had more luxuries on his room. The rest of the trainees like Blake had to share the bathroom. He, instead, had a big one for himself with a large bath on a side. It was full of water, it made her figure what Taurus had been doing for so long inside.

"A bath is the solution?" The pupil asked to her mentor, who nodded.

"Not any bath. A very cold one." He added and willing to exit, held the keys of the private bathroom on one hand. "You need to sink in there until the heat vanishes. Maybe you'll need to repeat it again tomorrow."

But Belladonna wasn't willing to leave the situation like that. Taurus made her heat unbearable in the forest, teasing her to just get inside her pants and for his fault she had to struggle with herself. Blake wouldn't let him go away like that. Yes, he was letting her use his private bathroom and helping her with the heat but he made that complicated beforehand. If tomorrow she woke up again in heat he would tease her again. Blake knew she needed to teach him a lesson in order to assure that he never messed with her again. She had to or maybe one day she couldn't control herself and would ejd doing something they both would regret afterwards.

Adam felt a soft breeze blowing on his side and the weight of the keys on his gloved hand disappeared. He turned, confused, and observed at the cat faunus, holding victoriously the keys on her hand. Taurus sighed and made two steps forward to try and steal the keys from her, not understanding what Blake was trying to accomplish. But then, she started undressing herself, forcing the bull faunus to stop his pace.

"You can look, it's okay." Blake purred, dying to see his expression behind the mask. He was shocked and couldn't take his eyes off the revealing skin of the beginning of her chest. "Consider it thanks for letting me use your bath."

Blake was acting weird, she was the reserved kind of girl and Adam knew that sudden daring attitude wasn't due to the faunus heat. As much as it hurt him, the bull faunus ended turning his head to avoid seeing Belladonna completely naked. He couldn't get out of there since she had the keys but he couldn't allow himself to cheat on his values and spy his pupil as much as he desired.

"What are you trying to accomplish by doing this?" Taurus asked, hearing the cat faunus unzipping her white pants. The thought of her panties being rolled down made his insides burn.

"You tried to convince me to mate with you. I may have changed my opinion." Adam heard Blake replying.

"You may? D-do you really want to?" His voice trembled as the invasive thoughts of Blake's pale thighs and her warmth filled his mind.

"Look at me, Adam." Belladonna finally asked from the distance, not really answering his question.

The bull faunus uncovered his eyes and took his mask off in the process. He turned and saw Blake naked facing at the big mirror on the wall. Her long wavy raven hair covered her nude back and bottom. Taurus hesitated but walked forward. Her smell was so intense that it was making him trigger his own heat, something that only happened to males in very sexual explicit situations. Adam had never experienced that before, but Blake was his weakness and the pleasure to be her first was so exciting…

The moment he reached out his hand to put her hair on her shoulder and see her naked back, the cat faunus' temptative image vanished. Adam observed how the pale skin became shadows. His hand was left alone, lifted, touching just air.

"I knew you wouldn't resist." Blake mocked, already inside the bath full of bubbles.

Nevertheless, when Taurus stared at her Blake could observe his nose bleeding. It was the symptom of the male heat hitting Adam. The cat faunus couldn't believe that she triggered that on him and smiled, leaning her head in the edge of the bathtub.

"That was a very naughty move." Adam said as his trembling fingers tried to wipe away the blood coming out from his nose.

"Your will means nothing when your body is yearning for me, darling." Blake mimicked, saying his exact same words, trying to imitate his voice. "But luckily for you, there is one solution." She said, inviting him to join her inside the bathtub.

The bull faunus had to admit it: she had won. His intelligent pupil managed to change roles: now he was the one in heat and Blake managed to have control over his primal body. Adam understood the message: he would never mess again with her during her heat cycle.

The cat faunus, proud of herself, closed her eyes and enjoyed the bubble bath, laying her head backwards and bending her knees so Adam could fit in front of her. She heard Taurus removing his clothes and leaving them on the sink along with hers. After a few seconds that he spent looking for a clean and dry towel, the water inside the bathtub moved as Adam got inside. Blake felt the tip of his toes brushing against her own only then she dared to open her eyes, knowing her mentor's naked body would be hidden under the soothing bubbles.

She smiled as Adam held his head high to stop the blood coming out from his nose. Blake was proud of herself because she had been capable to trigger Adam's heat with only the use of her semblance. A more childish Blake would have never dared to confront Adam. Maybe the heat cycle was changing her in more ways that she could notice.

Taurus tried to find correct words to not leave the sweet victory completely to his pupil. Nevertheless, in that situation and with such heat his brain didn't seem to work as always. The trainee smiled at his speechless state and took advantage of the situation:

"Just enjoy the bath, Adam." Blake mocked. "It's the most effective solution to all of your problems."

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Happy New Year to you too! The option #2 has now been posted. It wasn't smut as most of you expected and it has been a while since my last smutty drabble (soon I'll have one prepared too). Next week I will post Black Science, a drabble that I enjoyed I lot during the process of writing. I think you will like it a lot.

 **Guest:** I hope you liked it! Thanks for your vote.

 **Avatar-Mage:** Option #2 posted. Thanks for voting.

 **Karvost:** Actually, I do use Grammarly, but I'm not a premium member so it doesn't notice me all the typos. I will try to keep improving my English as it isn't my mother tongue. Thank you for your review, I'm glad you liked "Hate's seed". I was afraid that nobody would like it as the characters were Occ and the drabble wasn't following the canon.

 **Guest:** Glad to know that you liked both options. Next week I'll post the other drabble.

Next week I will post the second option: the drabble "Black Science", the less voted on the poll.

Frozenheart7


	29. Black Science

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Black Science

 **IMPORTANT NOTE:** Now that Adam's face and eyes have been revealed, from now on I'll describe him as the canon says (unless it is an AU and I have to modify his character). Personally, I love his design, eye color and brand and it gives me more material to write about Adam's past as a Schnee Dust Company slave. What do you think about Adam's face? Did you expect it? Maybe you thought he had silver eyes? Another type of scar? Tell me in the reviews!

 **ALSO:** When I publish the next drabble we'll have to discuss some topics about chapter 12. Not today because that would be spoilers for the non-first members. (I know, it is hard to hide the emotions after what happened this week.)

 **Summary:** Merlot Industries rose from the shadows with a new project: studying the faunus genes and anatomy. Nevertheless, their twisted science becomes darker when faunus start to disappear. And that's when the White Fang comes in to help but with a high price to pay for Adam… and Blake.

 **Rating:** T for animal cruelty… just kidding.

* * *

The bumps on the road made the truck shake and that couldn't let any member of the White Fang concentrate except Blake. The night was dark and they all could hear noises from wild creatures hiding deep inside the forest. The place was remote and nobody would suspect that a Merlot Industries laboratory was hidden there, in the middle of a dangerous forest and a dusty thin path as the only way to arrive. They certainly knew how to hide well but luckily the intel service of the White Fang found their location due to the radio transmissions. And it was a few members mission to go in there and find out if they had something to do with the sudden missing faunus in Vale. Rumors said Doctor Merlot had left the Grimm experiments and now wanted to study how to make humans better with animal instincts and abilities. And that could only be achieved if they studied faunus previously. But who would be volunteer to let them experiment with faunus? With that Sienna Khan's hypothesis seemed the only explanation to the disappearances. If Merlot had nothing to hide, why would he camouflage his laboratory in the middle of nowhere?

Blake felt a warm hand caressing hers. She looked up and found that her mentor and trainer, Taurus, was the one giving affection to her. Her heart started to beat faster, not wanting to reveal her feelings for him.

"Everything will go fine, Belladonna." He comforted her, letting go of her hand once his words filled the void.

"I'm just nervous." The cat faunus confessed, it was her first mission after all.

"I'll watch your back." Adam promised.

Blake tried to hold her body firm by nailing her fingers on the wood bench at the bottom of the truck. That worked to stay still despite the bumps of the road but when the truck suddenly stopped, she couldn't help but stumble upon Adam's chest accidentally. His scent sneaked inside her nose as she slowly got separated from him with the help of her arms.

"Sorry." Blake muttered as their eyes met.

Adam adjusted his mask and got up from the seat as the other members got out of the truck.

"It's okay." He said, grabbing wilt and attaching it to his hip. "Follow me."

Belladonna grabbed Gambol Shroud and followed her mentor, who held out his hand to help her jump from the truck. Blake stood beside him as the other trainees stood in a line waiting for instructions. The cat faunus was really privileged to have such a high-rank member as mentor but she could also feel envy looks from his subordinates.

"Amitola, proceed with the bombs to crash the system." And as Adam motioned for her to move to the entrance the chameleon faunus obeyed. "We need to distract the cameras with smoke, are they ready?"

"Yes, sir." The two faunus in charge of the cage full of smoke bombs replied as they kneeled to take them out and active them.

"The rest come with me, we are going to hide as our brothers and sisters open a way for us to enter." Taurus motioned and everybody followed him to the first line of trees, hiding behind bushes in the dark of the wildness.

The two brothers set the explosives and the smoke surrounded the area. Ilia, who was behind a container, came out of her temporal hideout and moved to the entrance. Her job was to blow up the electric panel beside the electric door so the emergency system would be activated and all the doors of the laboratory would be unblocked.

The explosion caused a loud noise that would warn the scientist inside the building but with enough luck they wouldn't care about their experiments and prefer to run to safe their lives and not be part of the bloodshed. Taurus motioned silently to his subordinates to enter the building. The two brothers and Ilia entered first to clear the hall as Adam and the others stood beside the entrance.

"It's clear." Ilia sentenced.

The trainees entered and Blake also tried to get inside, but she was stopped by her mentor.

"You'll have me behind you all the time." He reminded her.

The main hall as well as the entire building was illuminated by the emergency lights that led the workers to the nearest exit. Nevertheless, thanks to their faunus senses, the lack of light wasn't a problem for the White Fang members to see in the dark. The place was cold and it made Blake shiver.

"We're headed to the second floor. Follow the lights to the stairway." Taurus ordered.

In a clean and ordered line, silently the faunus went upstairs until they arrived at the second floor. The tension was making Blake really nervous and her hands were starting to sweat. She had to wipe them off by rubbing them against her clothes to have a better grip on her weapon. Belladonna stared at Ilia and her movements, such a sneaky mission seemed to be something usual for her. She had such elegance and skills for infiltrations. Blake wished to be like her. With Adam as a mentor maybe one day she would be even better.

"The caged faunus have to be around here. Let's divide in teams of four to search." Adam ordered, seeing how desert the laboratory was. "In case you find them, you'll grant them freedom. We can't leave any faunus behind."

The trainees obeyed and immediately made small groups. Adam held Blake by her wrist and called Ilia and another member to make another small group. They continued forward as the other faunus moved to the side hallways. They passed a metallic door that opened without any kind of restriction. Something very suspicious. There was absolute silence the calm before the storm.

"Should we continue?" Amitola asked, pointing at the metallic door in front of them.

The answer never came. Suddenly, loud alarms started ringing and red lights illuminated the stance. From the door that Ilia had been pointing, a group of scientists and robots appeared, blocking the way for the whitefangers.

"Welcome to my laboratory, whitefangers. I'm Dr. Merlot, leader of the investigation. I'm so glad you decided to join us and ease the experimenting process." The old man dressed in white introduced himself.

"Where are the faunus you are keeping as lab rats?!" Adam yelled, aiming at Merlot with his shotgun.

"Right in front of me." He replied and suddenly the metallic door behind the whitefangers got locked, impossible for them to return back. "Don't you understand? This was a trap to capture more specimens."

"Not if we destroy you and your facility." Adam sentenced and gave the order to shoot at the scientists.

Blake aimed at the robots that made a few steps forward to protect the scientists from the bullets. Ilia, Adam and the other whitefanger kept shooting without hesitating and as the robots advanced, they retroceded back. Adam noticed that soon they would be cornered and taken as lab rats and elaborated another plan.

"All cover!" Adam ordered.

Ilia and the other whitefanger searched refugee behind one big metallic cage near to the door. Blake and Adam did the same using strong barrels as cover.

"Blake. The command room is just behind them." Adam started, once in a while lifting his weapon to shoot and keep the robots from cornering them. The last of his shots destroyed the head of one of them. "You need to reach there and deactivate the locks from all the doors so we can escape. Do you understand?"

Adam knew he was asking much from the cat faunus in her first missions. He thought it would be easier and didn't expect it to be a trap. The circumstances needed risky decisions and orders so they could get out of there. Belladonna nodded with strong conviction and Adam gave her a soft pat on her back to thank her.

Taurus motioned for Ilia and the other whitefanger to use the smoke bombs. They shoot twice before surprisingly throwing the smoke that would leave both robots and scientists disoriented temporally. Blake impulsed herself with her aura and sneaked through the robots, trying to go unnoticed. She managed to cross the room and arrive at the control room. A panel with so many buttons stood in front of her as her brain burned and tried to guess which one should unlock the doors. Blake knew her partners were counting on her and she couldn't mess it up.

"There it is!" She whispered in joy as she pressed the red button to unlock the doors.

Immediately, the sound of the sirens stopped and the red light changed to blue. Blake turned to see how the smoke in the room her partners were still fighting faded. They had managed to get down one of the scientists, but not Dr. Merlot. In fact, she couldn't see him standing with the others. Blake worried about Adam and the whitefangers, ignoring that she was the one that should have been worried about herself.

Suddenly, a small pinch hit Blake's back. She touched the area and found something stuck in her skin. When she pulled it out, she noticed it was a dart and the liquid inside of it had already been injected inside her body. The cat faunus turned weakly, her head spinning. She faced Dr. Merlot, who had a rifle in his hands.

"Hush, wild kitten." The scientist said, leaving the gun on the control panel and approaching her stealthily.

Blake didn't care about her anymore she tried to run back to Adam, distinguishing the red rose in his jacket as he fought. She stumbled upon a cold wall and before her head could be clear, felt two robotic arms wrapped around her. Her feet were no longer touching the ground as she was held in the air. Her hand reached for Adam in the distance but when he glanced back at her it was too late.

"Blake!" Adam yelled in rage, immediately running in direction of Dr. Merlot, not caring about the darts the robots had started shooting.

"Farewell, faunus." Doctor Merlot said as he pressed the button to lock the front door. Adam didn't arrive on time and couldn't save Blake, who was half-conscious on the other side of the door.

* * *

Adam didn't speak in all the trip. Even in unsuccessful missions he was in the mood to lecture his subordinates. Nevertheless, that time he stayed seaten with both of his gloves covering his face. They had been forced to leave the facility. Blake had been the only faunus captured by Merlot and his group of scientists so the well being of the other faunus had more value than just a stray member. If they carried on to safe Blake that would have put in danger the other whitefangers wellbeing. Adam used to respect the rules, now they all seemed stupid.

As the leader, they all returned to the hideout except Blake, his dear pupil. In a full voice he ordered the subordinates to retire and rest but he never returned to his room. Instead, he went to give his report to Sienna, the White Fang High Leader.

"Adam." Sienna exclaimed, surprised to see him up so late. "Why don't you rest?" She was unaware of the situation as almost all of Adam's missions were successful.

"I will be out for hours, maybe days." Adam announced, grabbing extra ammo and dust from one of the boxes that Sienna kept in her office. "My pupil has been captured and I won't wait for the next faunus rescue mission to find her." He sentenced.

Sienna smiled well-intendedly, her heart tender for how Adam cherished his newest pupil, Blake Belladonna. She was used to these kinds of situations when some faunus was left behind hurt or arrested in a mission. It was usual, but seeing Adam concerned, not so cold as he was, gave a hint to the tiger faunus.

"I won't allow you to go to another laboratory. Not even alone." Sienna sentenced. They had more locations of laboratories belonging to Merlot industries. She had no doubt, Adam would search in all of them until he found Belladonna. Nevertheless, as High Leader, Sienna couldn't allow these reckless actions.

"I will bring her back here." Adam sentenced, not accepting a 'no' for an answer.

"In two days I'll have another team to intrude the next laboratory in the list." Sienna explained. "But you won't be commanding the mission. I will be. Personally."

Sienna never did that. She barely got involved in missions since she was the High Leader.

"Why? You know I can handle the situation." Adam complained.

Sienna put a hand on his shoulder to make Adam stop. It worked and he centered all his attention on her. Once she felt the bull faunus was willing to listen, Sienna spoke:

"Can't you see that you have chosen her?" Sienna asked. "Look at how you are sweating and your heartbeats are loud."

"Are you implying that-..." The words got stuck in his mouth, something that happened rarely. "My relationship with my pupil is strictly professional. She is not my mate."

Sienna believed his words but both, as faunus knew how their instincts worked. Adam unconsciously had chosen little Belladonna to be his mate for the next heat cycle. It didn't matter if he tried to control it, his passion would unleash next spring and Belladonna, as a faunus female, would have no other choice than give into their heat passions.

"But instincts can't be controlled." Sienna objected and saw how she finally had convinced Adam. "That's why you can't lead the next mission. You need to keep your head cool and the feelings aside."

"First you say I'm attracted to my trainee and now you imply that I have feelings for her?" Adam asked, annoyed because Sienna seemed to care more about his feelings and not about the fact that one of the whitefangers had been captured.

"You just need to look at yourself!" Sienna exclaimed, amused by the situation.

Adam sighed and passed his hand through his forehead and cheeks, wiping off the sweat. It wasn't just his mating instincts but also the regret and guilt he felt. He had promised Blake everything would be alright, that he would watch her back and because of his risky orders she was now captured. By the mere thought of what kind of experiments could be doing with her… It made his blood burn.

Sienna comprehended the seriousness of the situation by seeing Adam's expression. They both had read the reports of the cruel experiments Merlot industries did to the faunus.

"I can't wait two days, Sienna." Adam said, with worry in his voice. "Change the mission to tomorrow. I don't care if you want to lead it, I just want to rescue my pupil."

"I don't know, Adam. The whitefangers need to rest." Sienna answered prudently.

"What if we don't find her in the next laboratory? They could have brought her somewhere else. Maybe even someplace we don't know the location of." Adam gave valid points to change Sienna's opinion.

After thinking about hid words for a while, Sienna understood that she couldn't allow the White Fang to have his best member in such state of anxiety for his lost partner. Nevertheless, she knew Adam could have the burden of the responsibility on his shoulders.

"We'll do one thing." Sienna started. "We will make two groups: you lead one, I'll lead the other." Adam's glance brightened up with hope. "If we attack simultaneously in different laboratories they won't have the defensive forces concentrated in one location. Dividing them we will defeat them."

The bull faunus had no other option than nod and accept the High Leader's commands. Her plan was good and she only asked Adam in exchange to go to sleep and rest. They would need all the energy the next days.

* * *

The static sound of a high pitch invaded Blake's mind. When she recovered her conscience to be fully aware of her state, she understood that the sounds she was hearing weren't imaginary products on her head.

Her weakened limbs fought to regain the strength. Her stomach hurt and she wanted to vomit, surely secondary effects of the dart. Everything around her was white except black spots on the walls. Even she found herself dressed in a white nightgown made of plastic. The room she was in was fully covered in pillows and there were four cameras on the high ceiling. Later on, when she managed to stand on her feet she identified the black spots as speakers.

"Sequence number 1 starting now." A robotic voice announced.

Blake waited and waited but nothing came. She tried to identify the possible exit of the room and found that the pillows on the wall were cut in a rectangular shape. There was the door.

"Sequence number 2 starting now." The robotic voice spoke again, announcing something that Blake still couldn't understand.

The cat faunus moved to the door, trying not to trip over herself. She found the hole where the electronic key had to be inserted. If it had been a classical door maybe she could have pick locked it. But with an electrical system, there was no way Blake could get away from that room.

Her instincts made her look up at the ceiling. She waved her arms to try and see if someone was watching her. Blake identified the camera zooming in to focus on her. Her suspects were confirmed, she was being observed. Everything was some sort of experiment.

"Sequence number 3 starting now." The voice kept announcing but Blake couldn't understand what kind of experiment that was.

Nevertheless, a horrific loud pitch pierced her hearing. Blake covered her human ears and folded the cat ones, yelling as the sound was more and more intense. The room seemed to vibrate due to the potency of the speakers on the wall. The high pitch didn't stop until Blake was on the floor, curled in a ball.

The robotic voice came again. "Restarting sound sequence. Urban ambiance."

Blake didn't have time to ask to herself what that last word meant. Immediately the sound of police sirens, cars, people talking… all the sounds that could be heard in any city were played at the same time, very loudly. It didn't matter how much Blake screamed or tried to shove herself in a corner, the sounds just kept going in crescendo, making her believe that her ears would soon bleed.

The experiment kept going for hours, or that seemed. Except some sounds that her ears couldn't perceive, most of them were so loud that made her want to be deaf forever. Belladonna ended lying on the floor, her body spasming, her sight lost in an undefined point, her body no longer responded to the acoustic stimulation. And in a hearing capacity study in faunus with four ears, a subject that was no longer responding was useless.

Eventually, two guards came into the room and observed how Blake was completely faded in her own world, not even responding to the physical contact. They had to lift her, she tried to resist but their grip was too strong. She was dragged through endless cold hallways until they arrived in one room that contained hundreds of cages. Small cages in a rectangular form where the faunus inside couldn't even get up on their feet and had to lie down in order to fit. Like animals.

She was thrown inside one of the individual cages and there she lied, alone. A few seconds later, she saw how one of the guards gave her bread and water. The other faunus asked for food and water when they saw how they fed Blake but two gunshots was the answer to the desperate pleas. Once they left, Blake curled in a corner and kept the water and bread in the bottom of the cage. She drank some water but decided to leave the bread for later. She wasn't especially hungry but feared that if she didn't reserve sole food she would be starving like the other faunus inside the cages.

All Blake could think about was the Vale brotherhood. Adam would look for her restlessly, she was sure. With his strength and conviction could convince anybody to join him even if the mission was dangerous. Blake held onto that spark of hope and prayed for the laboratory she was in to be on the target list that the White Fang possessed and planned to attack soon. She would only have to wait, then.

* * *

Adam slid on the screen of his scroll until he found the photograph he was looking for. There she was, Blake sitting under a tree and reading. It was a photo that he took discreetly during a session of training in the Forever Fall forest. He had kept it as a treasure in a secret archive on his scroll, now he was glad he did.

"Excuse me." Adam started asking to a faunus covering himself with a blanket, he was terribly skinny. "Have you seen this cat faunus among the captives?"

The old faunus stared at Blake's photograph, furrowing his eyes to see it better. A few moments later, the man shook his head as a negative response.

Adam didn't give up and kept showing the photograph at the recently freed faunus in one of the Merlot Industries laboratories near to Mountain Glenn. The answer was always the same. None of them had seen Blake inside that laboratory. She had to be somewhere else but the list was always shorter and Adam feared they would never find her.

"Any luck?" Ilia suddenly asked, almost startling Adam who was too focused to hear her approaching. Adam shook his head and put his scroll back in his pocket, defeated. "We will find her. I'm sure we are closer than it seems."

* * *

Blake had been trying to sleep the past days without success. She didn't even know how many days had past, maybe it had been only a few hours. The time passed so slowly locked in that facility. Luckily, at night time they gave every faunus a blanket and a small pillow to sleep. Blake cçuldn't choose if she wants to stop feeling the coldness from under her or around her. Finally, she decided to just wrap herself in the old rag called 'blanket'. The faunus spent the night quiet, from time to time she could hear a loud son that escaped from someone that had been crying. Apart from that everything was quiet. It gave her a well-deserved rest to her hearing and senses.

Instead of drifting away to sleep, her mind only could go back to her loved ones. Especially Adam, he was the person who she spent more time with. He missed the hideout so much. Being in the bed reading while hearing Adam writing things down in a paper, being so late and still working on his desk. Those small moments without any apparent importance were the things Blake most missed.

After what seemed hours being in the complete darkness, the cat faunus managed to get some sleep. She dreamt of Menagerie but the desert that occupied the island was instead a floral land. There her family and friends were waiting for her. She spent the time inside her dream running, having fun, laughing with her parents, Ilia and Adam. But suddenly, a strange Grimm with tentacles got a grip on her ankle and tried to push her underground.

Blake woke up suddenly and found that the grip on her ankle was real. A guard pulled her out of the cage by her legs. In other conditions, the cat faunus would have fallen on her feet but being so asleep her reflexes weren't awake yet.

"Move." The guard ordered, kicking one of her sides.

Belladonna got up but didn't have time to walk. The guard dragged Blake around the lab, they even used the elevator that only got activated with a special bracelet the guards and scientists wore. They brought her to another white room and made her sit on a chair. The fact that they didn't restrain her was what made her suspect that something was wrong.

A female scientist entered the room and motioned for the two guards to leave. Blake saw how they stayed outside, still watching the other rooms and hallway. The scientists eyed her from tip to toe and Blake felt the urge to curl back in the chair and not move.

"So, you're new?" The human scientist asked, eyeing some papers. Blake didn't want to answer and when the scientist glanced at her by the corner of the eye, the cat faunus just turned her head and ignored her.

What made her want to look at the scientist again was a gun that she held. The scientist introduced a small electronic device and walked towards her.

"Stay away." Blake warned, getting on a defensive position.

The scientist lowered the gun and called the two guards waiting outside to help her. Immediately, Blake was held down on the chair by the two guards as the scientist pushed the gun against the side of her neck. Belladonna tried to turn her head but the hand of the guard on her scalp didn't allow movement. Suddenly, a sharp thing nailed on her neck and felt how the electronic device the scientist had introduced inside the machine was now under her skin. To prevent Blake from taking it off, the scientist placed some tape on her neck, sealing the place where she had introduced the device.

"If you try to escape, once you step outside this device will stop the flow of blood that runs to your heart." The scientist threatened while the guards tied Blake to the chair with handcuffs. "In other words, you'll die."

Belladonna felt her hope fading away. Unless they extracted the device from her neck, she couldn't escape from the lab. Not even if Adam came to her rescue. The scientists pressed some buttons on a control panel and the chair raised a few centimeters. A big light was placed over her and the guards let the scientist free way to experiment with Blake.

"Is there even any chance to get out of here alive?!" Blake asked, indignant as she felt how the scientist unbuttoned the plastic nightgown she was wearing. "You will get rid of the faunus you have experimented with once you're finished."

The scientist smirked and was tempted to silence the cat faunus with some tape, but she thought Blake was intelligent so she didn't. In front of her, the scientist had a faunus body to explore and on the table beside her an empty paper that needed to be filled with information.

"You better want this to end quickly." The scientist warned, getting on her feet. "Answer all my questions and we'll let you return to your cage soon."

Belladonna didn't have any choice. She was tied and defenseless, lying on that chair that had turned into a couch. The scientist put on a pair of latex gloves and pinched Blake's corporal skin. The faunus whimpered at first, surprised. The scientists wrote something on the paper and grabbed a metallic spoon from the instrument table.

"Open your mouth." She commanded. Blake obeyed and let the scientist explore her teeth and tongue. She checked if the faunus had fangs or not and Blake saw how she crossed the negative option on the paper. "Have you got any chronic illness?"

"No." Blake replied as the scientist wrote more notes on the document.

The doctor checked next Blake human hears, introducing a small instrument that allowed her to see the inside. Then she looked at her cat ears and repeated the same process. The scientist spent more minutes on that and took pictures of them to later compare the faunus ears with regular cat ears.

"I see that you are sensitive to loud sounds." The scientist commented seeing the result of the first experiment they did on Blake. "Do you think your hearing is the same as a cat? Or you can hear even more since you have four ears?"

"I don't know, I'm not an animal." Blake replied spitefully.

"We are all animals, faunus are just closer to the fauna DNA." The scientist said, to not be racist and earn her experiment subject trust.

Next was her nose. The same instrument that had been used to inspect her ears was now on her nose. Luckily she didn't take as long as she did with her cat ears. Blake used all that time to think about another way to help the fellow faunus that were imprisoned with her. As she could observe that lab was the same as the one she intruded with Adam last time. If on her way back to the cells she could orientate she would be able to find the control room. From there she could contact the exterior or if she was lucky even send a message.

The concentration faded out of her when the handcuffs set free her wrists. The scientist was expecting her to get up. Blake just sat on the edge of the chair and waited for orders.

"Come here. I have to do more tests on you." The scientist said, opening white curtains that revealed a room bigger than it seemed. "And don't try anything funny or else."

The empty threats of the scientist didn't scare Blake. It wasn't the right moment to try and escape because outside there were the guards. Blake had to be patient and go through the tests to return back to her cell as soon as possible.

The first thing the scientist made Blake do was step on a platform. A hologram showed the number of her weight and a scanner calculated her CMI and height. Blake waited for the scientist to write down everything on a paper and then stepped down the platform, impressed by the technology that seemed to be from Atlas.

"Sit there." The scientist pointed at a regular chair.

Blake obeyed and everything went quick. The scientist checked her blood pressure and extracted some blood from her arm. After these procedures, the scientist told the guards to take Blake away as she was done with the initial study.

"Initial study? Then there will be secondary studies too…" The cat faunus thought as the guards got a grip on her.

In their way to the first floor on the elevator, Blake saw how many floors the lab had thanks to the buttons. The structure seemed the same as the one on the lab they captured her.

"Can I use the bathroom?" Blake asked sweetly as they got out of the elevator. The guards crossed glances and then stared at her, who was crossing her legs to show that she needed to go to the bathroom as soon as possible.

"Alright. Hurry." One guard ordered and they brought her in front of a big white door.

Blake entered the bathroom and cleaned her face and hands after using it. Then she used her semblance to create a shadow clone of herself in the corner of the bathroom to attract the guards. Once everything seemed convincing enough, Belladonna hid behind the door and knocked as a reclaim. The guards ignored her and she heard them mutter something on the other side of the door. Blake knocked on the door again and this time the guards opened the door, willing to come in.

"Hey, you animal!" One of the guards exclaimed at her shadow clone. "Get up and move." He commanded.

When they saw that the clone wasn't going to move, the two guards entered the room to try and drag her outside. Once they laid their hands on the shadow, it faded on the air, distracting them enough time for Blake to sneak out and lock both of them inside the bathroom.

From the distance as she run, Blake heard the guards kicking the door. In one hand she was holding one of their electronic bracelets that allowed them to use the elevator and pass through certain areas. The cat faunus tried to remember the map of the lab and sneaked through long corridors, avoiding guards and scientists that were there. With a semblance like hers there was no problem to hide and run, using it in her benefit as she pleased. She had this advantage, she was a trained member of the White Fang, not a prey.

Using the bracelet in the scanner, Blake managed to access the control room. Unfortunately, when the doors got open she found that inside there were men operating the panels. Blake tried to walk back but the door behind her got closed. They were three and she was herself and her clones.

"A stray animal..." One of them mocked, getting up from the seat. "Still not tamed, I see."

The man made the intention to reach for Blake, but she quickly dodged the contact. She was just buying some time to think about how she could arrive at the control panel and send her coordinates via radio.

"We need two guards in the control room. Over." One of them communicated through a walkie talkie. Then the other two joined the man already trying to corner Blake. She was running out of time.

Then she saw the dust crystals behind her. Those were being used to give energy to the light system. She could see in the dark but the humans no. As she stole the dust crystal from the wall, the lights went off and Blake shook the crystal to drop it and cause a small explosion to gain some time. She heard the men groaning as she sneaked to the bottom of the room. They couldn't see in the dark so even if the guards came it would take more time to find her.

"Now, how does this work?" Belladonna muttered, observing all the buttons and the numeric codes on the screen.

Then she remembered that still had the bracelet to activate the mechanical systems in the lab. She put it over a red scanner under the panel and the screen changed to an options menu. Written big and white there was the option to 'send'. Blake clicked on it and choose to send the ubication with the maps and coordinates included and introduced the receptor, a secret receptor the White Fang had in their principal hideout. A signal like that wouldn't be ignored and less being her disappeared. Adam would find her in time, she only had to wait and prepare herself for the consequences of her rebel actions.

"There! She escaped but is still in the room." The cat faunus heard the men say to the guards that came to help them.

Blake quickly erased the message from the computer so it wouldn't exist on the archive of sent messages. If they knew, they would move to another laboratory so she hid the shreds of evidence of her acts.

When the guards arrived at the bottom of the control room, they aimed at one corner with the flashlights and found the cat faunus kneeled, trembling, making the perfect act of a helpless and traumatized subject. They didn't have any compassion and shoot a dart on her, like the one they had used to capture her in her first mission. As Blake conscience faded, she heard one of the guards say:

"If she has been strong enough to arrive here they should change her from the physical experiment floor to the reproduction and maternity studies…"

* * *

It was 2 in the morning, the rain was pouring outside and Adam couldn't rest. In his desk there was a big map of Vale with the locations of the labs crossed. The ones they had already visited were circled in red ink. There were only two left that they still couldn't infiltrate and tomorrow his team of members and Sienna's would try to sneak in simultaneously. Sienna's plan had been working and thanks to her direct cooperation in missions they had rescued a lot of faunus trapped in labs. Sienna aspired to soon destroy Merlot Industries but both knew that apart from the laboratories on their map, there were more than nobody knew the location. Adam hoped Blake would be on one of those, he feared he would become crazy if they didn't find her anywhere. He spent hours after the rescues asking the faunus prisoners about Blake, showing them photos…But nobody knew anything about her. It was like Blake had disappeared and was nowhere to be found.

Adam cursed himself and slammed his fist against the desk, making one of the computers of the room turn on. The bull faunus sighed and willing to turn off the computer got up. On the superior corner of the screen, a new notification popped out. It was a message from an unknown server.

"What is this?" Adam asked out loud, opening the message to find a lot of numbers apparently senseless. He gave them a second look and comprehended the message. "New coordinates!"

The bull faunus' heart raced. He knew those had to be the coordinates of a secret lab. Blake could have been the only one tricky enough to escape and send them. Adam was sure.

The bull faunus inserted the coordinates on the search engine, more concretely on the radar. A big map appeared on the screen with a red spot on the exact place of the coordinates. Adam zoomed in the map and the image of a small house appeared. It seemed abandoned and it was very suspicious. But Adam was convinced that it wasn't a false clue. He denied believing that that message hadn't been sent by Blake and that the coordinates were the key to find her.

Later, looking carefully on the area where the house was, Adam found the definitive clue. There were several cars parked in a field very near the house, it even had a small path made of earth that led to the house. It was a hidden laboratory those cars had to belong to the scientist and guards working inside.

Adam grabbed his scroll and quickly marked Sienna's number. He waited for a few seconds after a hoarse voice could answer the call.

"It's too early to-..." Sienna started but Adam didn't let her finish. "I've found the coordinates. Tell everybody we are going there tomorrow."

Before Sienna could reply, Adam cut the call.

He returned quickly to his room that he used to share with Blake. He couldn't stand the loneliness and the sight of her bed empty but now that he knew that soon she would be back nothing could get in his way. For the first time in all those days, Adam laid down on the couch and managed to get some sleep so in the morning he would be refreshed and will have enough energy to rescue his pupil.

* * *

Blake didn't wake up in a cage. Instead, she found herself in a white room, similar but more smaller than the one where they made the hearing test on her. Only that this time there wasn't any sound system to torture her. It was some kind of isolating cage. Surely it was her punishment for trying to escape…Or that was what she thought. At least her plan worked and the coordinates surely reached the White Fang headquarter. They had to. It was her only way to escape. The dispositive inserted on her neck ached and remembered her of the constant threat: once she step outside, it would end her life.

With her arms restrained together behind her back, she struggled to stand on her feet. With her cat ears detected the sound of a camera placed in a corner of the room zooming in. They were watching her as a red light was tingling and recording everything happening inside the room. She was completely defenseless for now but she had faith in the coordinates she had sent.

The sound of a digital key opening the door made Blake jump startled. A pair of guards with guns on their belts and some armor entered to force her to leave the room. They were ready, she could tell she had been brought to another cell because they considered she was dangerous. Those protections made her be vulnerable but soon she thought she would be out of there.

"Where are we going?" Blake yelled, forced to walk forward.

"Silence, lab rat." One of the guards spat out, punching with his other fist one of her sides.

Belladonna stopped due to the pain but was forced to continue advancing. This time there was no elevator ride, they brought her through a very long hallway and stop when they reached a white electrical door. One of the guards stood in front of it and placed his fingertip on a digital scanner. The fingerprint allowed them to pass in. Blake got chills, that area was the most secure she had seen in any lab. The scientists had guns with them, and the hallway they were going through seemed to never end. There were windows in both sides, revealing small rooms were they experimented with faunus bounded. Belladonna feared the same destiny was waiting for her.

The guards brought her to one of these small rooms. Inside a male scientist had been waiting for her. The two guards pressed the cat faunus against the wall and retired the bindings that kept her hands tied together behind her back. Without giving her moment to rest, the guards pulled her towards a stretcher and made her lay down. Her hands were tied once more, now to the metallic bars at each side of the stretcher.

"This is a good sample." One of the guards told the scientist. "She will have good-looking faunus." Blake's cat ears perked, not having a good feeling about the conversation.

The other guard, meanwhile, tied her ankles to two mobile structures connected to the stretcher.

"Such a shame she is a faunus." The scientist commented.

Blake flexed her legs, making the stretcher's iron bars clash. The noise alerted the scientist, who loaded his gun and ordered the two guards to leave so the experiment could start. Once they were left alone, the scientist moved to one side of the room, searching for something inside a big freezer. Blake silently moved her wrists to try and get free from the bindings but nothing worked. Once the scientist turned his back and Blake was on his sight, she stopped struggling, faking submission. Their eyes met.

"What are you doing?" The cat faunus asked, staring at a frozen tub he left on a metallic table and observing how he prepared a needle to inject her something.

"Preparing you for the dose." He replied. Normally it was the dose that was prepared by someone, not like he said. That showed that he only saw Blake as an object for experimenting.

His palm made Blake's head stay still, showing the skin of her neck. She struggled but his strength was brutal, a few seconds after, Belladonna felt the needle of the syringe piercing her, an awkward itch on her skin and later in all her body. Blake felt herself burn, even once the scientist left her side, she felt dizzy and warm. It was an awkward sensation she felt a very few times. It was like when Adam embraced her and she breathed on his chest, but this time the comfort sensation wasn't there.

The scientist grabbed the now not so frozen tub and moved next to Blake's feet. He parted her tied legs and sat on a chair, just between them. An icy metal touched Blake's center and she jumped startled. The scientist posed his hand on her thigh to make her stay still, but Blake was feeling weird, not understanding what was happening on her body, and didn't stop moving her hips so the scientist couldn't work.

"You're stubborn, kitten." The young scientist muttered, nailing his fingers on the inner part of her thighs, making Blake hiss in pain.

Belladonna closed her eyes and tried to use her semblance. It had worked before, she managed to fool a lot of people with her shadow clones, this time wouldn't be any different. The cat faunus managed to project out of her body a shadow clone that hit the scientist on one side.

Her cat ears perked up when the sound of a crystal breaking interrupted the silence. She opened her eyes and saw the scientist cursing, his hand on his cheek due to the clone's hit and the shadow clone vanishing. Then Blake realized what they were experimenting about. The broken crystal tube contained a white liquid that she could identify from the stretcher.

They were trying to impregnate her with human sperm.

"Why are you doing this?!" Belladonna exclaimed, trying to close her legs as the scientist threw away the broken tube.

"Faunus reproduction is a mystery. Especially your species animal trait heritage." The male scientist explained. "We're studying that and also what happens if a human and a faunus decide to have children. Something that happens rarely, only a crazy human would do that."

"You have been forcing faunus to copulate?! And also impregnating females?! And you dare to call us faunus 'animals'?" Blake protested, earning a weird smirk from the human scientist.

"We earn some money selling the faunus children to the Schnee Dust Company. They have new workers and we can continue our studies with the money." He continued explaining, opening the fridge to find another sample of human sperm. Blake looked around to find a way to escape that room or win some time.

"You all are monsters." Belladonna hissed, helpless to save anyone or herself.

The scientist let out a sigh and searched inside the freezer. Blake's skin was burning due to the previous injection: now that she knew they were trying to impregnate her she guessed that what he had injected her was something to trigger her heat and improve her fertility. That explained how turned on she was but the reason why her blood was boiling was because of all the experiments they were forcing on faunus. All of that had to stop. She trusted the White Fang, they would fight until everything ends.

"You have messed everything up, foolish girl." The scientist sentenced. "We're out of samples, you have broken the last one."

Blake swallowed and trembled as the scientist approached her. She felt his pheromones near her, making her dizzy due to the faunus primal instincts.

"Do you know how hard it is to convince male humans to donate sperm to contribute in our experiments with pretty females like you?"

The scientist caressed Blake's lower lip carefully, but she turned her head aside to deny his contact. He tried to touch her again, but Belladonna showed him her teeth.

"Don't touch me." She growled against her own instincts. Her inside was boiling and yearning for a male to satisfy her, despite having one in front of her, her thoughts kept imagining a certain bull faunus.

"I believe that is not possible." He replied with a dark grin. "My boss won't be happy if we interrupt the human and female faunus maternity studies." His hand roughly tightened around a thick lock of Blake's raven mane, pulling her forward. "But there is always a way…"

His warm breath caressed Blake's cheeks and unconsciously she stopped struggling with the bindings that kept her attached to the stretcher. The cat faunus closed her eyes and tried to turn her head aside, deny what her body was asking for, but the grip on her hair was strong and didn't allow her to leave.

"Despite everything you're still an animal. Just look at yourself." He said, inserting his hand between Blake's thighs, retiring the metallic device inside of her. "We'll have to do it in the traditional way."

The void between Blake's legs didn't last long. The young scientist got between her legs, untying her ankles' bindings to control them. Despite being 'an animal' like he said, Blake was still disgusted by those human's cruel action and experiments. She was filled with anger and that let her think despite having her heat triggered.

So, as the male scientist unbuckled his belt and continued the friction between her core and his pants, Belladonna subtly used her semblance, creating a shadow of her own hand to untie her wrist bindings. The male scientist was too busy getting rid of his pants to notice Blake untying herself. She kept faking that the heat made her be helpless against her own primal desires and when he was focused exclusively on taking her body, Belladonna reached for a small knife on a nearby table to attack.

Blake felt a piercing pain on her core, but her own body was wise and didn't allow the entrance to the scientist.

"Why so tight, kitten? Aren't you a filthy animal?" The scientist mocked, pushing deeper and harder without any success.

It was too late for the human when he raised his head to observe Blake's expression. The sharp edge of the metallic knife cut the scientist's face, from his jaw to the forehead. The scientist screamed, pressing his right eye, but nothing stopped the blood flowing out of it. Blake had excellent sight and had managed to strike the scientist's eye, leaving him vulnerable and distracted, unable to see correctly, giving Blake enough time to move.

She untied her other wrist and got up from the stretcher. The door didn't get open when she stood in front. Blake touched the control pad, there was a number combination she needed in order to get outside. Belladonna returned next to the scientist, who was still lying on the floor, screaming and staring at all the blood coming out from the cut on his face. She grabbed his shirt's neck and made him face her.

"Tell me the password." Blake demanded, shaking his trembling body. "Tell me!" She yelled.

But before the scientist could find his reasoning and words to speak, the whole lab changed its blue lights to red. A siren started beeping, the sound wasn't unknown to Blake. It was the same alarm that got activated when the White Fang got inside a lab during a rescue mission.

"Adam's here." Blake sighed in relief, and forgot about the scientist now that the door got open thanks to the emergency system.

She left the room, ignoring the human's yells. Blake ran through the hallways. The other scientists were too busy escaping to bring with them their experiments, in other words, the faunus prisoners. Belladonna continued running until she arrived where she had been locked, there were more rooms like that with captives inside. She pressed the buttons beside each door to free the female faunus caught inside. Blake waited for them to exit and helped one pregnant faunus inside a cell to get up. She was a deer faunus, very skinny and with a large belly. Blake felt sadness for her, thinking that she could have ended like her.

"Thank you…" The pregnant deer faunus sighed.

The now free faunus got inside the elevator. As Blake could see, that floor they were was where the maternity studies were performed.

"We should go floor by floor to free the others." Blake ordered.

They all agreed on that, knowing that the electronic device on their necks would explode if they stepped out of the lab. They could do nothing until they met the White Fang, who had a lot of experience in rescuing the faunus caught in Merlot Industries' experiments. All the laboratories had the same procedure with their experiments, what changed were the locations.

When they arrived at the upper floors, the scientists were already gone so they had free way to help the other faunus trapped inside cells. Blake continued going up with the elevator to the control room. That floor was initially blocked but due to the emergency system activated she had authorized access. The room was cold, empty and dark but nothing was an issue for her thanks to her faunus sight and senses. The computers were turned on and she could see the vigilance cameras' images.

"Adam!" She yelled, seeing how in the first floor he was apprehending one of the big fishes of Merlot Industries.

Belladonna didn't waste more time checking the cameras. She used the elevator to go to the first floor and meet Adam. Her instincts were controlling her, she needed to see him.

* * *

"Amitola, go with the Albains to the second floor and start freeing the prisoners." Sienna ordered, once all the scientist the White Fang caught were restrained and brought inside a van to be reported to the police.

Sienna Khan was now the maximum authority figure as High Leader but due to Adam's implication in the faunus rescue, driven because of Blake's loss, the members of the White Fang also started seeing him as a leader, his power equal to Sienna's. Khan wasn't silly, she had taken Ghira's power and throne when the White Fang claimed that she was the leader the organization needed. She knew Adam was becoming more and more popular and that soon he would need another charge inside the White Fang… one as far as possible from her to avoid him from taking her throne.

Adam was now commanding his subordinates to search in the computer for Blake's name and the other faunus' names reported missing in the last six months. This way the White Fang had the control over the missing faunus population and new which facts put their species in danger.

"Taurus." Sienna called Adam, making a signal with her hand, asking him to go outside. "I need to speak to you." Adam nodded and barked some more orders to the whitefangers before stepping outside the laboratory.

"We're very close. I can feel it." Taurus sentenced, knowing those coordinates that led them there were sent by Blake. "Merlot Industries will sink after this."

"We have done a lot of work lately." Sienna praised him and herself, working together as a team. "Especially since your pupil got lost." But the tiger faunus saved that last part for herself and continued speaking: "You showed me your truly potential, even under a stressful situation you have been capable to operate missions without any accident." She put special emphasis on that last work, referring to Blake's accident on one of the firsts assaults to labs.

"It is worth all the effort. The faunus here are forced to live chained inside a building and we're not even considering the fact that humans perform those experiments on them." Adam replied. "It's hard to imagine how to feel when your body experiences reactions you can't control, something that the humans trigger because they have the power to do so." With those words Sienna remembered Adam's capacity to reach the other faunus and encourage them to fight.

"I have a proposal for you, Adam." Khan let out, surprising the cold bull faunus who always seemed to have everything under control. "I'd like to work with you: be part of the council and my counselor."

Adam had to take his time to process the opportunity Sienna was giving him. He would have power and still he could command missions and operations. But most importantly, he would have his own voice inside the council. Nevertheless, before Taurus could answer, Sienna continued:

"But if you want that charge I'll need you at my entire disposition. No more distractions. I want you 100% focused on your labours." Sienna warned.

This part made Adam's grin fade. Both knew what Khan's words meant: Taurus would be a leader but would stop teaching his pupils. He would lose contact with all of his apprentices, specially his current favorite: Blake. Yes, she had been the principal reason why Adam had worked so hard these days, she was his reason to fight fiercely and not give up. Thanks to that, Sienna saw his truly potential and now that opportunity appeared.

"You need to chose and balance your priorities, Taurus. You could be standing beside my throne or keep your actual role inside the organization." Siena summarized for him, who was left shocked after those conditions.

Adam remained silent for a few seconds more, trying to think. The accumulation of feelings inside of him didn't let Adam think straight. It was such a good new, a once in a lifetime opportunity but he would also leave a lot of things and persons behind. Blake…

"Blake's here!" Ilia suddenly yelled from inside the laboratory.

Taurus immediately forgot about Sienna and turned to go and search for her inside the lab. Nevertheless, his eyes met the familiar amber he had yearned for so long. Blake was standing a few centimeters away from the door that led outside where he and Sienna were. Belladonna's instincts told her to run towards her mentor but his mind reminded her that she couldn't so that or her life would end, she needed to take out that device under her skin first.

What she didn't expect was Adam's sudden reaction. He was the one running towards her to bring her closer in a tight hug. Blake spent some seconds to react to his embrace but soon was capable to stand on the tip of her toes and wrap her arms around his neck. She glanced at Sienna, who stood with her words still on the air, surprised because Adam left her without thinking about it twice.

"Are you alright?" Adam asked, pulling Blake a few steps back once the hug was too long. "Did they do something to you? Do you need a doctor to check you?" He asked worriedly.

Blake placed her palm on his gloved hand and pulled him closer again to feel protected, embracing his chest. Adam just brushed her raven locks with his fingers, softly pressing her back toward his own thorax.

"I just want to go home and rest." Belladonna sentenced, referring to the Vale headquarter that Taurus led. "Could we travel back to Vale tonight?" The cat faunus insisted.

Adam saw the clear signs of tiredness on Blake's pale skin. She was dirty, had dark circles under her eyes, and was thinner than the last time he had seen her. He didn't care about Sienna nor his responsibilities as leader of the Vale brotherhood. He only cares for his beloved pupil who he held close to his heart.

"First we need to retire this small device." Adam replied, finding it with the touch of his fingertips. "Then we can go. Just you and I." He assured her.

"Come here, Blake. We'll extract the device." Ilia suddenly said, appearing from behind her. "Then you can step safely outside."

Belladonna let go of Adam's hand and gave him a small smile. Ilia brought her where the other faunus that had been used for experiments in the lab were.

Then, taking advantage of his loneliness, Sienna approached Taurus as he kept his sight on Blake at all moment.

"If you want, we can discuss our business back in the headquarter." Khan offered.

Taurus stayed silent for a minute, staring at how his subordinates retired the device from under Blake's skin. Once they did that, she could leave with him. But if he accepted Sienna's offer he would have to stay in the general headquarter and Blake would return with his other subordinates back to the Vale branch that he commanded. There as a leader he had the freedom to do what he pleased but in the council he would have to work in group and as a counselor be under Sienna's orders.

"I'm sorry, Sienna. I will return to my branch with Belladonna and my other subordinates." Adam finally decided, sentencing his role as branch leader.

Ilia put a bandage around Blake's neck to prevent the blood to flow out. Now that they had extracted the device, Belladonna could step outside the laboratory without any danger. She briefly thanked ilka and her brothers of the White Fang that helped the other imprisoned faunus.

"I see." Sienna sighed, deceived for Taurus' foolish attitude. All because of his favorite pupil…

Adam felt Belladonna's sudden embrace around his chest. His conversation with Sienna was over so he allowed himself to relax and show some affection to his lost pupil. Being away from him, Blake seemed to forget that in front of the others he acted like a cold and emotionless leader. Adam also knew that was making him seem less intimidating but didn't care because his priority was just now before his eyes, back by his side. All the things that before had been little details now seemed important: her smell, the softness of her hair and sweetness of all her gestures. He was dying to return to the Vale branch and spend some time together, alone. And maybe it was time to be brave and confront his feelings for her since her abduction made him see what he felt for her.

Khan had to turn her head to not see that scene. If she had considered Adam a professional, now that ideal of him being strictly formal was fading away. With her tiger ears, she could perceive a soft purr that Blake made with every stroke on her raven hair. Sienna felt her chest burn, it was jealousy. Luckily, when Belladonna opened her eyes to put an end to that hug, Khan was already gone.

"Are you ready to return home?" Adam finally asked, referring to the Vale hideout, giving her a soft smile.

"Yes, please." Blake replied, glad that she wouldn't have to live inside a laboratory nevermore.

* * *

Time for a new poll! Vote in the reviews. Here are the options: (Which one should I publish first?)

 **Option #1:** "Smooth manipulation": (Smut) A drabble focused on Adam's POV during a process of manipulating Blake. He wants her to leave Menagerie and her family behind to join him in the Vale brotherhood. He knows well that she has fallen for him, to what extremes will he arrive to make her say 'yes'?

 **Option #2:** "Tainted Love (part II)": (Request) The continuation of the drabble already posted "Tainted Love" that explores the abuse Blake lives beside Adam, the mental tricks he uses and how she tries to escape everything. Will Blake escape her ferocious lover this time?

You have two M+ rated drabbles to chose between this week. Vote wisely.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Happy new year to you too, dear! Glad you liked the content posted lately. Read you soon!

 **merendinoemiliano:** Thank you, friend. Don't forget to vote. Maybe by the next poll "Adam Xiao Long" will be in one of the options... (Yep, I love teasing)

 **The Wizardrous Magicman:** HAHAHAHA! Sorry, my fault. I've never had a nosebleed and I don't know the direction where you have to tilt your head. Welp, anyways, you are right. Canon resolved. *cries*

Don't forget to vote which drabble you want to read next! Read you soon!

Frozenheart7


	30. Smooth persuasion

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

 **IMPORTANT NOTE:** In the last update I talked about my feelings respect Adam's face reveal, now it's time to discuss what happened in chapter 12 Volume 6. So, now that all of Volume 6 is out for first and non-first members at Rooster Teeth's site, this won't be considered spoilers. I loved Adam's complete design and face reveal in chapter 11 but I feel deceived after Adam's death in chapter 12. I really hoped he would leave aside the White Fang and his hate for Blake (even though I liked the storyline) and I thought he would join Salem as he was so powerful. The fights were so intense and he had so much potential that it hurt when Yang and Blake finished him off. Kerry, one of the writers of the show, confirmed in RWBY Rewind that Adam is officially dead and won't return.

Despite his death, I will continue writing drabbles, as ideas don't seem to go away and I keep having new ones, and I will keep posting these drabbles here. Nevertheless, I will leave the fandom, especially Twitter, because after Adam's death all who feel deceived are being attacked by certain shippers and other fans that think that liking Adam means we all Tauradonna shippers are abusers and toxic people.

Being all that said, don't worry. I'll continue here in Fanfiction. The small delay has been because of my birthday and pre-university exams. Now I'm a legal adult so in theory I'm writing smut legally... Leaving that aside, feel free to share your thoughts about Volume 6 finale and Adam's death as it won't be considered a spoiler for me. Let's not encourage hate to our shipping community and let's enjoy fanfics, because after all, those are just "fan" "fics". Thank you all for reading.

* * *

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Smooth persuasion

 **Rating:** M+

 **Summary:** A drabble focused on Adam's POV during a process of manipulating Blake. He wants her to leave Menagerie and her family behind to join him in the Vale brotherhood. He knows well that she has fallen for him, to what extremes will he arrive to make her say 'yes'?

 **A/N:** I've been wanting to do an Adam POV for so long and specially focused on the manipulation techniques he may have used during his past with Blake. You have no idea how complicated it was to write this and dive into the dark mind of an abusive boyfriend.

As it is a drabble focused on the psychology of the characters I want to clarify something:

"..." Is used for dialogues.

'...' Is used for thoughts

Being that said, enjoy.

* * *

She made the face that he expected she would do when he told her everything. The question kept echoing inside his mind: 'Would she follow him?

'Come on, Blake. It's the point of no return.' Adam spoke to himself in his mind.

He watched as she crossed her arms over her chest and made a step backward, turning her head aside to not show her actual expression. Adam didn't quite knew what she was feeling, he had never been good in reading emotions. However, her shaky body and corporal language gave him a hint of what kind of thoughts Blake could be having at that moment. He was pretty sure he knew her so well that he could prevent her movements with anticipation. Taurus was sure he could react properly in accord with her mental state. He knew her too well...

"Why?" She finally let out in a broken voice, almost surprising Adam who had been too busy making schemes silently.

"Because…" He started, making two steps forward and raising his hand so he could see the first reaction coming from the cat faunus. She looked back at him. He knew he got her. "I've been staying here for too long... Only for you."

That last sentence pierced Blake deep. Her eyes shone in a way that he recognized: desire. Before her tears could fall, his gloved fingers wiped them off so her makeup wouldn't fade from her pretty factions. But she was more than just a pretty face that was why Adam had been taking so time to make her fall for him. He had her heart in his hands and with just a little squeeze she would do whatever for him, the bull faunus was sure.

Her answer never came so it was time to take larger strides with his little kitten. That was what he liked to call Blake in his mind. After all, she was still young and innocent. That wouldn't last if she ended accepting his proposal though. And he would make sure she would.

"Now in return I'm asking you to come with me." Still no reaction from the cat faunus. Adam sighed internally and came closer to her. "If you don't do it, it's because you don't love me."

There it was, the sentence had just triggered her. Blake raised her hand towards his face and caressed his scarred side with softness, feeling guilty for doubting about something that he would surely make for her. Adam just closed his eyes and leaned in her contact, appreciating her gentle touch after so many efforts.

"Of course I love you, Adam." She said but by the tone of her voice he could tell there was a con to the sentence. "But…" There it was. "...my parents still don't know about us. We've been keeping everything as a secret and if we did leave together…"

It was always the same topic that made Belladonna hesitate about everything: her parents. It was always all about him and if there was something that pissed Adam that was them. The coward of her father that stepped down as High Leader because the work at the White Fang got too serious. Her mother, instead, was a good cook and really supportive. Definitely it was her father who Adam couldn't stand. That was why he had to convince Blake to keep their 'relationship' as a secret. After all, she was too young to have a so mature boyfriend like Adam. Her sweet fourteen shouldn't be tainted by an eighteen-year-old male. Taurus had learned that innocence was a drawback and he got rid of it forcefully in his childhood. Now he would do the same with Blake's no matter her answer.

Taurus leaned forward, softly retiring her hand from his face, holding it.

"I love you." He lied, whispering on top of her cat ears. "I need you." This was true though. "Leave Menagerie with me. Don't leave the White Fang."

He made another step forward, making Belladonna retrocede until her back touched the wall. There's where he liked to have her: helpless and vulnerable. Blake let him manipulate her hands, placing one on his chest, just above her heart so she could sense his heartbeats. That was one of the details that would make Blake melt if it was written in one of the romantic books she used to read. Plus, the element of forbidden love and all of the secrecy made things more interesting, he was sure that her mind was running like crazy. If she felt that was overwhelming then just wait…

Belladonna opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. Adam hushed her and lifted her chin. Blake closed her eyes as she knew what was about to come each time he did that…

Taurus allowed himself a small moment of pleasure as he kissed Blake's tender lips. Oh, that certainly drove him crazy and along with her soft moans each time his tongue dive further inside her mouth… He hadn't kissed Belladonna a lot of times, he didn't allow himself because with the pass of the time it would lose its effect. He knew how Blake shivered each time Adam made a minimal daring movement with her. First were spft pecks, then a caress on her neck, a rough pull on her waist… He learned he shouldn't abuse those or eventually its effect on Blake would vanish. As every curious little girl, she felt special each time Adam got intimate with her, but also of he crossed a line she panicked and made a step away, scared. He knew that he couldn't cross the limit, trying to take her clothes off was a barrier that he would pass when he achieved what he wanted and her parents were far away. Now, trying to unbutton her shirt or sneaking a hand under her skirt would only make little Belladonna jump.

He left a few centimeters as space so Blake could catch some fresh air after the passionate kiss. He admired the pink blush on her cheeks as his hands descended from her neck to the hips.

"Let's join the Vale brotherhood…" Taurus begged almost childishly. "Together…" He continued and watched how the doubts that earlier had troubled Blake now were starting to vanish.

"I'm excited to explore more with you, Adam." Belladonna suddenly let go, the shyness still on her face but the double-meaning of the sentence being clear enough to surprise him. So she wanted more of him… It was so easy to use her as a broken doll, being so pure and young. Anything made her pant and sigh out of pleasure. Adam wouldn't lie, he was also dying to get in her pants. The vanilla foreplays with her also turned him on.

"I won't stop until you say 'yes'." He needed to hear it explicitly or that wouldn't count as a promise that if she tried to broke he could use in his favour, manipulating her guilt. "I want to make sure you are willing to do anything for me."

He pressed her body harder against the wall. Adam could notice shivers running down her spine, probably because she was a little kinky on the inside… if she weren't she wouldn't have those smut books hidden under her bed. Books that he had gifted her to encourage her primal instincts. It was working because when he pressed his center against her lower stomach she didn't flinch, noticing his hard bulge.

"Are you testing me?" Blake asked, her whole body trembling, knowing well what kind of sensations both were experimenting: lust.

"I just want you to say 'yes'." The bull faunus simply answered.

"Yes to what?" She continued asking pushy questions that Adam wasn't sure how to answer.

He lifted her, putting his arms under her knees, using the wall as a support. She was just playing with him and he needed her to shut up to not ruin his strategy. The roughness of the movement startled Blake enough to make her remain silent and wait for Adam's next move.

"To everything." This time he was also telling the truth. He wanted her to say 'yes' to all of his desires. Complete submission. Obedience.

Their eyes met, now at the same height. His hardness against her inner thighs as she tangled her legs around his waist. This time it was her who pulled him closer to deepen the next kiss.

'Filthy kitty… What would your dear daddy think of you if he knew you're hooking up with me in his own house?' He thought, feeling her inexperienced tongue dance with his. 'You know this is too much for you but you keep going to not disappoint me…'

He broke the kiss and pressed her shoulders against the wall. He needed to be in control of the situation in order to hypnotize her body. After all, his favorite persuasion mode was sexual. And Belladonna was quite daring that afternoon.

"I would do anything to make you happy, I just want you to do the same for me." He continued insisting, making her feel guilty if she didn't correspond to his desires. "You know I can't say no to being the new leader of the Vale branch."

Sienna had offered him the job since he had been proved loyal and professional to the faunus cause. He was respected inside the White Fang but he needed someone like Blake at his side. Somebody loyal and submissive to have at his will, to control for his own pleasure.

"But you also can't say no to leaving me." She objected with a smirk. Since when she turned so playful with him? A loyal submissive shouldn't speak out to him like that.

"That's why you'll accept and come with me, right?" He asked again and before she could answer with one of her daring sentences, he moved her hair out of his next objective, a weak spot: her neck.

Just by making his kisses wetter than usual, Blake sank in his arms, whimpering softly when his teeth sank on her flesh. That was his good girl that he adored to play with. She was just a plaything believing that he had feelings for her. It had been so easy to seduce her since the beginning. Getting close to her hadn't been difficult since Adam had some prestige inside the White Fang, even his father's presence hadn't been an obstacle until now that he suspected something was weird with her daughter. It was just love and devotion towards him that made Blake act different, as a daydreaming teenager, in love.

"Gods…" She mewled, grasping locks of his red hair between her fingers. "Oh, Adam…!"

Adam added another touch to the scenario to make Blake burn: he pinned both of her wrists to the wall so she couldn't touch him. Adam would have total control over her now.

"All you have to do is obey and I'll give you everything you want in exchange." He whispered to her right human ear. Then he licked her lobe and softly bit the edge.

"You are making it impossible to deny..." She sighed, her legs shaking because of the intensity of his kisses.

Taurus felt himself losing control over his own actions. He was sure the cat faunus should feel the same and even more because her reproduction instincts were just awakening, but fear and shyness were what always made the intense petting stop. This time, nevertheless, Belladonna didn't seem to want everything to end. And Adam, as much as he didn't want to confess it, was too turned on by Blake to stop. If they hadn't been handling everything from shadows and in secrecy, Adam would have already taken her body and marked her as his. It was a fate she wouldn't escape.

"So?" He asked again once the kisses slowed down.

"Lay me down on the bed and I'll think about it." Once more, her reply had taken Adam by surprise. He wasn't conscious about her wildest instincts developing so fast. Luckily, he knew better her personality and could expect her responses.

Taurus, tired because of her games and feeling not so dominant as always, roughly let go of her wrists. If she wanted to play then he would push her to her limit…Then maybe next time she wouldn't run her mouth like that with him.

"If that's what you want…" He sentenced.

The bull faunus continued carrying his beloved toy until the back of his knees touched the couch of Blake's bed. He sat down and laid to rest his tired arms that had been lifting Blake's body. She was now on top of him, on her knees. Adam was letting her have total freedom over their actions. What he was trying to prove was that she wasn't made for being a leader and take the initiative.

"Wh-what do you want me to do?" Belladonna asked, unsure of how to continue. There it was again, that peachy blush that appeared when she felt vulnerable.

'Well, I'm already in this situation so I'm going to take advantage of it.' Taurus thought for himself.

Belladonna was really pretty and she had managed to excite him. Adam had promised himself that he would never fall for her and he was positive that his promise would be kept for his own sake. Mating, instead, was different. Having such a gorgeous and innocent faunus to satisfy himself was an opportunity he couldn't say no to. While feelings didn't get in the way….

"Ride me." Adam ordered a little too rough. Blake didn't move because she didn't want to interpret wrong his command.

There was no wrong interpretation in that, but Blake was playing her own innocent girl role. Adam wasn't in the mood for more games so he put his hands on her hips. He made her sit right on his pants, her inner thighs and warmth around his bulge. Blake placed her hands on his chest as Taurus started moving her hips forward and backwards, creating friction between his pants and her panties. Such a shame the sight was covered by her short skirt.

"That's it…" Adam muttered in pure bliss because of the movements that stimulated him.

Before laying his head backwards, he observed Blake's expression. She was enjoying that even more than him, modifying the angle of the friction so it stimulated the most pleasant spot of her intimacy. He would wait until she reached the edge and then…

"Don't stop." She begged when felt Adam retiring his hands from her hips. He ignored her and Blake, guided by her faunus hormones, continued with the circular movements on her own, without his help. "Oh, yes…" She moaned, incapable to stop despite the shyness.

The intensity just increased and both faunus were soon surrounded by the flames of passion as the friction got more and more pleasant. Belladonna started shivering and laid forward to face Taurus, who was enjoying it as much as her. When he felt her over him, wrapped an arm around her waist to trap her and with the other hand put her hair on one side. She was close to the edge, he could feel it in the way her skin shivered. Having her in his arms, so submissive and sensitive to his touch made him feel powerful. It was a sensation he would never get enough of it. He wanted more of that power. Having Blake by his side would always guarantee his hunger for domination calmed.

"You will be coming to Vale with me, won't you?" He asked, threatening with slowing down the pace and stop her release.

"Please, let-t me..." She begged, tightening Adam's jacket with her fingers. He got a firm grip on her thighs and accompanied her movements to control the speed. He smirked when saw her muttering and begging for him to please her. St that point, Adam didn't even care about his release, that satisfaction was enough. All the power over her.

"My love…" He called her by her favorite pet name he had for her, a seductive trigger. "Make your choice."

"I will stand beside you." Belladonna promised, holding onto his shoulders as she reached the edge. "I'll never leave you, Adam…"

Taurus, satisfied both physically and mentally, watched Blake's expression as she came over the edge intensively. She nailed her fingers on his chest and moaned loud, arching her back as her insides spasmed pleasantly. He could feel the moist warmth from her panties transfer to his pants, Adam was still turned on but he wouldn't allow himself to cum. He didn't want to get used to those dangerous methods that Blake could use in her favour in the future. She had said yes and manipulation hadn't been the way he achieved it. Maybe with kisses and heavy-petting it was more effective, this time it seemed so.

"You have promised me." Adam reminded her once she was resting after the intense action. "My love, look at me."

Ah, there was again her soft blush. She came after frictioning with his manhood and she surely was feeling dirty and guilty but at the same time she would want more in the future… maybe Blake wasn't just a silly little girl after all.

Blake nodded as he wiped a thin layer of sweat off her forehead. "I promise. I can't imagine my life without you." And there she returned with those stupid romance sentences.

The moment was too special to not smile and even Adam couldn't help but smirk and make Blake lay down on his chest to rest. He definitely had her all by himself, trapped in a web of childish illusions and romantic lies. He wouldn't be alone anymore now that she had her…

"Blake?" Her father suddenly knocked on the door, impatiently demanding some answers. "Blake, are you alright? Why is the door locked?"

The cat faunus immediately got up from the bed, ignoring the tiredness. She even made Adam leave the bed to put the pillows back on its place.

"I was taking a bath, dad!" Blake replied, ordering the room and erasing the wrinkles of the bedsheets. Nobody could know she had been with Adam, it was their secret. "You have to leave." She whispered to Adam, pushing him towards the balcony.

Taurus didn't feel the necessity to say something else, Blake surely wouldn't even ask for a last 'I love you'. He had achieved her to make a promise and if she ever wanted to undo it he would make sure she felt as guilty as possible so she always returned by his side.

"Mum heard some noises and was worried." Adam heard when he jumped down the balcony to the garden… The usual tactic he used to sneak into her room at nights or even when the house was locked and she was alone inside. He was curious about what kind of excuse Blake could come up to hide the constant noise of the bed cracking due to their previous games.

And now that she promised herself for himself, nothing would steal her from his side. Never.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Here it goes "Smooth persuasion". Next week we'll have Tainted Love #2 and then a new poll with new drabbles to vote and I know which one of them will be surely an option *teases*.

 **Angel's Meraki:** Thank you for the patience, these have been very busy weeks with exams and my 18th birthday (in Catalonia now I'm a legal adult, so we did a very big celebration). Hope you enjoyed "Smooth persuasion" and stay tuned for more!

 **Guest:** Option #1 posted. Thank you for voting.

 **Guest:** Option #2 will be posted next week. Hope you'll vote too in the next week's poll.

 **Liariah:** Well, I hope you got inspired while reading this. please, if you write some Tauradonna let me know so I can read it. I need Tauradonna material after everything that happened.

 **The Wizardrous Magicman:** Hahahahaha! Well, this one doesn't have a very warm Adam, more like hot. It had been a while since the last M+ smutty drabble but in the next weeks we'll have more material coming from me. Hope you enjoyed it!

 **Princess-Sera:** Sorry, Smooth persuasion goes first but next week I'll post the second part for "Tainted Love" and it will be very long and intense. You'll love it, I'm sure.

Thank you for your support. Be safe.

Frozenheart7


	31. Tainted Love (Part II)

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Tainted love (part II)

 **A/N:** You liked the first part so much and I enjoyed writing about toxic relationships so I decided to make a second part of the drabble called Tainted Love. If you remember, Tainted Love pt.1 ended with a hurt Blake on the hospital due to Adam's brutality in her attempt to escape and Ilia was forced to leave the branch. This second part will explain what happens once Blake is recovered, how Adam will behave once she is out of the hospital and we'll see the polemical decision Blake has to make: stay by Adam's side and be consumed by him or leave and see him consume himself.

 **Summary:** Tainted Love (part II): (Request) The continuation of the drabble already posted "Tainted Love" that explores the abuse Blake lives beside Adam, the mental tricks he uses and how she tries to escape everything. Will Blake escape her ferocious lover this time?

 **Rating:** M+ (dubcon, abuse, anxiety…) Sensitive topics ahead, read under your own responsability.

I suggest you to read again the first part to be aware of where the story was left and understand better how it continues.

* * *

Blake hadn't left their room since she was given the discharge from the hospital. She had remained on the bed, still taking medication every 8 hours and having to rest strictly. Adam was most of the time working and training. He knew Blake wasn't going anywhere as she had reduced mobility that in time she would recover. The cat faunus spent hours alone laying in bed with the heat of the electrical blankets on her fractured rib. It was still healing and her breathing wasn't as heavy as when she first woke up in the hospital, but it still would take time.

Belladonna had one principal problem: too much time alone to think. She spent the daytime thinking about her life, the regrets of leaving her parents behind consuming her mind and the possibility of try and escape from Adam again was tempting her.

Blake stared at the empty vase at the bedside table. They still hadn't argued until she left the hospital so they were no roses to ask for her forgiveness. Adam was still testing her grounds and Blake was sure he would maintain a calm behavior until she was completely recovered.

What Blake still hadn't comprehended was that abuse wasn't always physical.

When the sundown came, Blake felt the first signs of sleep taking over her. Even though she knew that at that time it wasn't convenient to nap, she closed her eyes, tired of everything and trying to forget the chasing memory of her best friend and her parents.

The nap didn't last long. The sound of the door closing startled her peaceful sleep, announcing the entrance of her partner.

"Good evening, my love." Adam purred, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really." Blake muttered, watching carefully each of his movements. "When will I be allowed to leave the room? I crave walking on the Forever Fall forest…" She complained, losing the count of the days and suspecting Adam was the one truly not wanting her to get out.

"Not yet, my darling." Adam replied, leaving both jacket and weapon aside and leaning on the couch to face the cat faunus. "How are you feeling?"

His question sounded sincere but Blake was certain his tone was just soft because of the guilt he felt. Nevertheless, her tactic was now to he gentle and loving so she would earn his trust again.

"Better." She replied in a dull tone. "And tired of being locked in here."

Adam gave Blake a hostile glance. Both knew, deep down, that she was kept inside the room because he didn't trust her anymore. The others thought it was because she had to rest but those were only lies. It wasn't for her own good, it was because Adam wanted her to be locked and uncommunicated.

"If you want I can bring you more books tomorrow." Adam proposed, softly caressing Blake's stomach. His eyes got locked on the clock and then back to her. "Let me heal you, darling."

Blake, with a little help, sat on the couch. Her ribs still hurt and the doctors had given her a cream that helped the regeneration of the bones and muscles. Adam always applied it to her skin and pampered her for a while. The bull faunus helped Belladonna take his shirt off, one she was using as pajamas. It was oversized and red suited her factions, a privileged sight that only Adam could admire. He could say the same of the sight of her naked torso and breasts as Blake wasn't allowed to use bra due to its pressure on the ribs.

"I'm very cold." Blake whispered, crossing her arms over her chest to cover her breasts.

Nevertheless, that action only made Adam want her more.

"I can warm you up, darling…" Taurus replied and leaned down to kiss her vulnerable neck.

Belladonna let him access the tender flesh of her jaw and neck. His kisses were soft at first and passionate, trying to arouse her as much as he was. But Blake was no longer in the mood for sex despite her mating instincts. His mouth moved to her ears, biting and licking them while passing one leg over her body to be on top. Then Blake realized she would have to slow him down before he got too excited.

"Adam… No." She whispered, but Taurus ignored her and kept kissing her ears. Belladonna felt cornered and placed both of her hands on his chest. "Stop, Adam!"

"Stop? What do you mean by stop?!" The bull faunus asked angrily.

"I need to rest. You said it yourself." Blake replied, seeing true rage on Adam's red eyes.

"You don't need to do anything." Was his automatic response. "Let me do the rest and enjoy it."

Adam tried to kiss her on the lips but Blake turned her head aside so he ended placing his lips on her cheek. The cat faunus closed her eyes and felt how his lips descended from her neck to chest. He roughly put aside her arms that blocked his way into her breasts. Blake shivered and whimpered when he trapped one of her nipples on his mouth. A small moan escaped from her as he used his tongue in circles to stimulate her. He loved when he lost control over her own body and gave into her wildest instincts.

"Slow down…" Blake trembled as his hands were on the elastic band of her panties. Adam pulled them down along with her underwear, revealing her womanhood for his delight. "Adam…" She kept warning him.

The cat faunus couldn't stand the feeling of not being in control over her own body. When Adam had already taken off her shirt and started unbuckling his belt, Blake placed her hands over his.

"Why are you so tense?" Adam complained, trying to take off her hands from his belt.

"I'm on my period." Blake lied as a last resource. Adam didn't seem to care and lifted his eyebrow with doubt.

The cat faunus resisted but Taurus managed to pin both of her hands above her head, hurting Blake for the roughness of his movements. Belladonna refused to scream or resist, it was enough humiliation for her to be in that position. Blake suffocated as Taurus descended down between her legs. She considered the option to just let go and let Adam have his way with her abused body. But when Taurus saw how Blake crossed her legs together for him not to access so easily, let go of both of her hands and moved away from her as a sign of rejection.

"If you are so negative is no fun." He sighed as Blake quickly dressed up, surprised. Adam rarely ignored his primal instincts and Blake had never denied him sex. "You hate me, don't you?"

That question made Blake's heart ache with a hurtful piercing sense. She felt guilty for her rejection but the simple sight of his hand raised over her made Blake panic. She couldn't stand Adam's touch anymore, not after everything that had happened.

"Don't say that, Adam." Blake replied, unsure of how to continue.

"It's true and you know it. You will never forgive me." Blake remained silent as Adam rubbed his forehead. She didn't hate him, that wasn't the appropriate word to describe her feelings towards Adam. Nevertheless, that second part about forgiveness was truer…

"I just- I can't comprehend what brought you to hurt me that way!" Blake complained, closing her eyes in sorrow, thinking of how even when she passed out, he continued kicking and abusing her body the night of her escape with Ilia. "And every time my body hurts it's a reminder of that night that I wish I could forget."

Suddenly, Blake felt Taurus' hands on both of her shoulders. Not tightening her skin, just as a sign of support. She stared at his eyes and felt the urge to lower her sight. When she did, he didn't insist on raising her chin to maintain eye contact. Instead, his mouth got closer to the cat ears on top of her head.

"We all make mistakes, love. You know my temper and how desperate I was and how much I love you." He slowly explained. "I lost control, I was afraid of losing you…"

His lips kissed gently her forehead and his arms were tangled around her. Adam embraced her with care, not tightening the hug to not hurt her. Blake felt weak and sank her head on his chest as a sign of accepting his apologies.

"I will change, Blake. You were right on the goodbye letter." Adam whispered with broken breaths, he was altered. "I'm a monster, I deserve your fear and hate."

Adam victimized himself and that made Blake feel pity for him. She knew the tactics he already used on the past, the violence and threats. Nevertheless, he had never used this kind of manipulation with her before. And it worked perfectly. He felt how she nailed her trembling fingers on him, not wanting to let go of his body.

"I'm sorry, Adam." She sobbed. His warmth and care were so comforting after everything he made her go through. "We can start from zero and forget the past."

"Thank you, darling." Taurus whispered, softly rubbing Blake's back in shooting circles. "If you ever leave me, I don't want to even think about what I'll do."

For a moment, Blake couldn't see her life without him. She felt the same struggle than when she wanted to escape from his side. Yes, she had forgiven him but everything wasn't solved. She feared isolation and loneliness would make her lose the sense of what was healthy in a relationship and what wasn't.

* * *

After that night, things changed, but Blake couldn't tell if they did for better or worse. She was allowed to leave the room with the lieutenant's assistance. Adam said it was in case she felt worse or her ribs hurt, but Blake knew it was a way to control her. The lieutenant wasn't very talkative, like her. His eyes never moved and she knew he was watching her to catch her if she tried to escape. Nevertheless, that wish inside Blake had died, at least temporarily.

As they walked through the Forever Fall forest, Blake remembered last night and how gently Adam treated her. It had been months since they had one romantic night for themselves without any pressure or argument. Belladonna really believed they could restart their relationship. The past wouldn't haunt them anymore. The cat faunus knew it had to be that way…

"Aren't you tired, Belladonna?" The lieutenant asked, seeing how good she kept up the pace, carrying her own backpack with books.

"I'm feeling great." The cat faunus replied, stopping for a few seconds to wait for the lieutenant to pick up the pace. "The hill is a few steps away, come on."

The lieutenant sighed and cursed Adam internally. He had to be a babysitter just to make sure his boss was happy. Belladonna wasn't making it easy, indirectly of course. When the lieutenant stepped the top of the hill, Blake was already sitting under a tree, picking a book to read. He stood close to her to watch every movement she made. He was aware of the use of her semblance and how sneaky she could be. He sent a quick message to Taurus to let him know where they were just in case something happened.

Nevertheless, from his point of view, he couldn't see that in reality books were just a cover. In reality, Blake had a pen and an empty paper to write on. She hesitated, not knowing who to chose and write first: her parents or Ilia.

Belladonna decided to write first to her parents since she had known nothing about them for a while. She hadn't received any letter during the months of her recovering neither. But between the strong medication given to her and the hours kept inside the room resting and sleeping, Blake couldn't exactly remember those long months healing her ribs.

" _Dear dad and mum,_

 _I'm sorry for not writing you these last months. I'm fine, Adam has been taking care of me during my process of recovering._

 _You see, a few months ago I suffered an…"_

"Darling!" Blake heard a very familiar voice behind her, startling her and making her writing tremble.

"Adam!" She said, startled, turning to face him. From the floor, he seemed even taller than he was and that made his figure even more authoritarian. "Weren't you in a meeting?"

"Nothing is more important than my love." He replied, examining carefully each one of the objects she had on her reach. His eyes focused on the paper hidden between the pages of a romantic book. He smirked, Blake couldn't be as sneaky as she thought, at least, not enough for him. "What do you have there, Blake?" He asked.

Blake's hands trembled as she revealed the camouflaged letter inside her book. Adam sat on the floor beside her and motioned for the lieutenant to leave, who was already tired of being a constant vigilante. Glad to have permission to return to the headquarter, the lieutenant left and the couple of faunus was now alone.

Taurus roughly grabbed the letter from the cat faunus' shaky hands and started reading the unfinished first paragraph. Blake's heart had been beating loudly as she saw that Adam has finished reading and was still being silent, not even staring at her.

"You were just going to tell them it was an accident, right, darling?" He finally asked.

"An 'accident'?" Blake asked even though she planned to say somebody hurt her during a violent encounter. Of course she couldn't tell the truth to her parents, they wouldn't understand…

"Do you want your father to separate us, is that what you want?" He asked, more violently than necessary.

"No! But if I don't write to them, they will worry and my father will come for me!" Blake replied and flinched scared of his reaction.

"They left the White Fang, what we are doing is not their business." He hissed angrily.

"I'm their daughter, Adam…" Belladonna dared to reply, not wanting to ignite his furious spite by mentioning that she had a family and he only had her. To calm him down and prevent another violent answer, she placed her palm above his and caressed his fingers. That seemed to have some sort of soothing effect on him. As if reassuring that Blake was with him calmed his demons down.

"I want you to give me the letters you write before sending them." Taurus sentenced, sighing out as if it were a rough task for him. "I can't afford to risk everything…"

Belladonna really didn't want to argue with him any longer. In any other scenario she would have tried to convince him that contacting her friends and family via letters was something normal and that wouldn't take her away from him. But Adam seemed far away from comprehension towards her and the cat faunus had learned it was better to just remain silent and nod to his wishes.

"It's fine, Adam. If that's what you want." She sentenced, submissive to his orders. She had just recovered from the lessons and wanted to enjoy some freedom of movement. It was better to not question him.

"Thank you, love." He finally was peaceful and returned the letter to Blake. "You can continue writing, don't mind me."

It was impossible to not mind him when his sight was on her fingers and the ink that she used to write. She felt an unbearable tension to not write something inappropriate or that disgusted Adam. One wrong expression and his temper would come out again.

" _You see, a few months ago I suffered an accident during a mission. A human got me and broke me some bones."_ She stopped writing, trying to control the tremble on her fingers to not ruin her usual calligraphy. Everything had to seem as always, something weird and her parents would speak up with Adam and that would piss him off.

"You don't need to give them more details, darling." Taurus suddenly said as a piece of advice but both knew it was more of an order. "Finish the letter already, the sun will be down soon."

Blake nodded and swallowed saliva before writing again:

" _As you may guess, there isn't anything else interesting to write about. These had been two boring months that I spent on the bed to rest. Luckily, now I'm better and I'll return to the field soon._

 _Take care. Love you both, Blake."_

Her parents obviously would notice that something was off but at the moment Blake just focused on obeying Adam's demands. Belladonna was also hurt because during those months of her absence her parents hadn't written to her either. Maybe it had been to give her some space, maybe Blake needed to have the initiative so her parents felt comfortable writing to her… After their strong argument before she left Menagerie, she couldn't blame them.

"Don't be sad, beautiful." Adam praised her, satisfied with the result. "Your parents made their choice. You know where you belong to."

"By your side." Blake remembered, sorrowful because of the promise she made once to him.

"That's right." He whispered, pleased, raising his hand over her head to caress her hair, a gesture of his superiority towards her. There was no 'side', it all was a lie. What he always referred instead was obedience, not support and equality between them. "I want to compensate you for everything, Blake. I still don't feel worthy of your love."

Every time Adam organized a romantic dinner, peaceful picnic on the forest or intimate date or trip somewhere else, it was because he wanted to ask Blake something important like: 'Come with me to this mission.' or 'Let me try something new tonight.' It was something that Blake knew well and yes, they spent a good time together but the price was high because often his petitions after good times were things she would refuse to do normally. Things she wouldn't like.

"You don't need to compensate me for nothing." Blake said almost immediately, deeply scared for what favor should he ask from her next time. "Just by being nice and affectionate with me, I'm happy. I don't need anything else."

"I just want to pamper you, my love. Just for a while… Don't you deserve it?" Blake's chest trembled along with her breathing. He got her between the wall and the sword.

"We need some time to ourselves." Blake agreed. "But if you are busy there's no need to rush." She tried to convince him.

"I really want to. We need to rest for a while." He sentenced, there was no other valid opinion than his. Belladonna had to accept it.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked.

"How about we… make a trip to those hidden hot springs that we found one day?" He proposed.

Belladonna loved those hot springs. You see, one day both of them left the hideout to spend a weekend entire surviving in the forest, fighting Grimm, training, confronting the wildness of the Forever Fall forest and its dangers. They went so deep inside the forest that ended getting lost and during their process to find the right path to return to the hideout they found a big cave. From outside the cave they could hear water running and when they entered found a beautiful scenario: hot springs illuminated by dust crystals inside the lonely cave. It was like a sanctuary, a very beautiful place that Blake held dear in her heart. After all, it had been the place where they had made love for the first time. That had been the beginning of their relationship.

"I think the water will help you heal and relax, darling." He assured, seeing her so deep in her thoughts. "I thought you would be elated to return. What do you say?"

"Will you be able to find the cave again? We got lost and it had been a while since we went there." Belladonna committed her first mistake that day: forget it all would be a trap. But his charms…

"Don't worry about it, my love." He assured her, at last happy because she had given it. He knew her change of attitude had been because of the memories they shared there. How she gave him her body for the first time. Remembering her innocence being ripped away made Adam smirk. "Come on, let's return to the headquarter and plan the trip."

Belladonna nodded, complying. Adam got up and offered her his hand to help Blake get on her feet. He carried her backpack with the books and the letter and both forgot for a while their past problems. It was that dangerous effect that made Blake feel insecure in her own skin. He was so charming that she forgot the danger that she was exposed to while being alone. And the hot springs inside the cave where the ideal spot to isolate her.

* * *

The planning of the trip was quick and therefore, that same weekend the couple decided to leave and have themselves a weekend to relax. Taurus left to give some commands to the lieutenant, who would cover his missing spot during their absence. Blake was in their room, making the last preparatives and making sure everything they need was on their backpacks. The cat faunus was excited to spend some time together. Her innocent-self thought that somehow, returning there would make things how they were in the beginning of their relationship.

She checked her own backpack and made sure she brought everything she needed. Clothes to change, pillows, towels, her medication… everything was in order. Then she looked at the hanging clock on the wall and noticed that it was already late, if they didn't leave now they wouldn't arrive at the hot springs before sundown. Belladonna allowed herself to do the same for Taurus: check that everything was in order. Inside his backpack he had the necessary stuff, including ammo and dust to fight the Grimm on their way. Nevertheless, Belladonna noticed something was missions.

'Isn't he going to bring protection or is he planning on being a father?' Blake joked for himself, too happy to not trust Adam's intentions.

Blake searched for a box of condoms she knew Adam had hidden somewhere. She checked the bedside table, his closet, the drawers, the bathroom… Nothing. Then she remembered when he used to search for something under his bed before passing to the action with her.

'I'm sure he keeps the box under the bed.' Blake convinced herself and kneeled before it to sneak her curious hand.

Her fingers immediately met the box of condoms. She was going to pull them out of the hideout but it wasn't the only thing he hid under the couch. Her hand touched a metallic box and she couldn't resist but pull it out from under the bed too.

Forgetting about the condoms, Blake focused all of her attention in the black metallic box. She tried to open it but it needed a password. A combination of numbers. The cat faunus couldn't help but want to discover what Adam was hiding inside. Belladonna tried random numbers but she knew Adam did everything for a reason. The combination was probably a special day for him. She tried their birthday as a couple, his own birthday, then hers… until she found the right combination: the day he had been promoted to Vale's branch leader.

The box got open with a metallic sound. It wasn't heavy, just because of the metal, because inside the only thing there were documents. Blake would have left the box locked under the bed as she found it but something caught her attention: those papers weren't contracts nor reports. Those were all of the letters Blake had written to Adam. Love letters.

"I can't believe he keeps these! It's so cheesy!" Blake smirked for herself, finding a soft side.

Nevertheless, the happiness didn't last long. Her letters were all tied with a purple string. But under them, there were more groups of letters, these ones not destined to him.

"What?" Blake muttered, noticing it was her calligraphy but these times the letters were written to her parents, Ilia and friends back in Menagerie. Those letters were there, that meant they were never sent.

"I can't believe it…" She whispered, horrified. It was just the beginning.

Under those letters that Adam had collected somehow and avoided them to be sent to her loved ones, there were more. This time the calligraphy wasn't hers but she was the one that should have received them. Letters from Ilia and her parents that she had never read. Adam had kept them a secret and Blake had been thinking all that time that her parents were still angry with her. When she opened them all she found were concerned words because they knew nothing about her. Finally, in one last letter, her father concluded and told Blake to take care, that they wouldn't keep sending more letters if she didn't reply, that they understood she didn't want to know more about them.

Blake put the letters back inside the box and locked it before her tears could stain the paper. Adam had been manipulating her mail for so long… That was why she never received a response from her parents or Ilia. She wasn't despised by them and she had spent so much time thinking so…

Belladonna heard the sound of the door opening. She immediately hid the box back under the couch and dried her tears to fake happiness and excitement for the trip. Adam couldn't know she had discovered her letters kept there. He would punish her for touching his things even though she had all the right to know and be angry. She wanted that calm and wellbeing to remain as long as it could.

"My love, what are you doing?" She heard Adam say, seeing her kneeled on the floor and with her head down. He quickly kneeled down beside her and saw she was holding the box of condoms. "What happened?"

"I-I…" Blake started unable to speak as if nothing happened after discovering all of her letters. "I bent down to grab this and I hurt my ribs."

Adam seemed to believe her story and softly pulled her towards him in a sweet embrace.

"Do you feel well enough to go? Or do you prefer to stay here and postpone it for the next weekend?" He asked sweetly.

No, Blake needed to go out. If she stayed all weekend with Adam locked in here they would end arguing again. She needed to forget what she saw. She needed to forget that Adam was that way.

"I'm fine. It has been just a momentary pain." She assured him.

Belladonna made the intention to get up but Adam pulled her into the embrace again. Blake let him comfort her with his soothing caresses, holding onto his jacket and sinking her face in his chest.

"Oh, my mischievous Blake." He sighed, brushing her raven locks. "We should go now, it's late."

She slowly let go of his arms and nodded. He helped her to get up and made sure she was okay. Then stared at her hands, she was still holding the box of condoms.

"I wasn't going to bring them, I thought you wouldn't want to…" He commented.

"I don't know, Adam. Planning it kinda vanishes the romanticism." Blake replied with red blush appearing on her cheeks. "I just wanted to be farsighted."

Taurus shook his head and put the box inside the backpacks. They equipped themselves with their weapons for the wild Grimm they could find on their way.

"Ready?" Adam asked.

Belladonna nodded and so their journey began. They left the hideout discreetly, having arranged all beforehand so nothing bad could happen during their absence. The faunus couple entered the forest of red leaves and went into the deepness like that time they got lost. Blake was grateful to be able to walk again freely. It was the grip Adam had on her hand that made Blake forget what she had discovered inside that box. She wished she weren't so curious now she was hurt because of herself. If she hadn't known it the trip would go on well and those worries on her head wouldn't exist. Belladonna couldn't stop blaming herself internally for all the things Adam did wrong. She was so distracted during their way that she didn't even notice the rough grip on her hand that kept her beside Adam to make sure she wouldn't run like the other time.

That was right, Taurus couldn't trust Blake anymore. He knew she could try to escape or leave at any moment. It was tiring to have to be watching somebody the 24 hours of the day. But he knew his kitten well, so he wouldn't trust her not even in the most 'romantic' moments. She seemed willing to stand everything that involved being in a relationship with him, she obeyed when Adam told her what to write on that letter.. even though it was just a test as he would collect the letter before it could be sent as he did with all the other she wrote and the ones that her loved ones sent to her. He also was suspicious about the box under his bed… Something told him that she wasn't crying because she hurt herself while searching for the box of rubbers. He would see it soon, testing Blake to her limit.

Eventually, Belladonna was tired and asked Adam to stop for a while and rest. The bull faunus didn't complain and took his bottle of water to let her drink and hydrate. Sundown was close and despite being close to the caves and hot springs, they needed to hurry or the Grimm would soon start the nightly hunt.

"Hurry up, love. We have to keep going." Adam reminded her and Blake nodded as the obedient girl she was.

The cat faunus soon was even more tired than before resting as they had to keep up a good pace to arrive in time and avoid problems. They had crossed the train tracks a few hours ago so they had to be close.

"Are you sure we aren't lost?" Blake dared to ask, afraid of the timing.

Adam didn't reply and grabbed her hand in a sign of dominance. He kept dragging her behind him in a rough way, making Blake's heel sink on the earth. Belladonna kept insisting, offering her help to find the right orientation.

"This wood has changed a lot since our last visit." She kept pushing and pushing and still no response from the bull faunus." It's okay if we are lost."

But he kept ignoring Blake and the cat faunus started to panic. She resisted his grip but Adam was strong enough to keep advancing without noticing her opposition. She nailed her heels on the ground and stood her ground, not wanting to continue going deeper. Something was wrong, she knew this all had been a trap, some kind of lie to isolate her. What she didn't know was what Adam was trying to achieve. What if he had brought her there to leave her alone and let the Grimm eat her alive? Or what if he tried to cross the limits once more, without anybody's presence. Blake started regretting her decision of accepting those vacations with him, alone. The paranoia kept running in circles inside her mind.

"A-Adam!" Blake finally reached the point of yelling, tired of his behavior. With a rough pull, she managed to get free from his grip on her wrist. "Where-...?!"

"There." Taurus finally sentenced, finding the dead end of the forest.

Belladonna, still with her breath accelerated from the adrenaline and anxiety, stood behind him, waiting for a clear answer. Adam tilted his head to perceive sounds better with his faunus senses. Then he moved to the rock wall of a mountain forward. The read leaves were covering all of it. His hands touched the rocks until he found what he was searching: a natural curtain that hid a cave.

"Come on, get inside before the beowolves smell us." He motioned for her to enter. Blake would have complained about his behavior but the sun was down and she was tired enough to have to fight.

Nobody dared to reach the deepest point of Forever Fall forest without years of training. That was the reason for such paradise's solitude. Blake contemplated the hot springs inside that deep cave. The small number of dust crystals and their faunus nocturne sight were enough to see in the dark. The place was even more beautiful than she remembered, maybe it was because no human had stepped on that cave since they found it. The sound of the water running made Blake forget everything: the kept letters, Adam's attitude, years of manipulations and abuse… She was tired of being scared for everything, she wanted to relax just like the other time they had been there.

Belladonna felt Adam's fingers gently grab her backpack to keep it along with his on a side of the cave. In another moment she would have startled but now none of that mattered. That place was magical, there couldn't be any problems in such paradise, right?

"Mesmerized?" Taurus mocked, also surprised because of the sudden relax coming from the cat faunus. She had stopped being tense, lately something unusual on her.

"And hungry." She added but before Adam could think about a double-meaning of the sentence she continued: "What do we have for dinner?"

The couple of faunus prepared the inside of the cave to spend that weekend there. They had brought a small tent despite already being inside the cave. There they prepared the blankets and pillows that had brought tied to their backpacks. When everything was settled, the couple had dinner. Taurus had grabbed sandwiches and canned food from the hideout but they decided to eat the sandwiches first so the other days could eat the canned food. It wasn't a very seductive plan but Belladonna didn't complain, being happy despite everything because Adam had finally relaxed and that weekend alone, after all, seemed a good decision. Blake didn't know she would change her mind later…

"How about I search for wood to make a fire?" Adam proposed, who had already finished his pair of sandwiches. "We'll have to dry ourselves if we want to have a bath now…"

"Are you sure it will be fine if you go alone?" Belladonna asked, worried for her partner.

"It's okay. I won't be long." He assured her. "You just need to relax and have a bath."

"If you insist." The cat faunus finally agreed and bit more of the last sandwich.

She finished eating while Adam grabbed Wilt and Blush along with some dust. They had been here that weekend they spent 'training' so both knew this zone was dangerous and more during the night. Blake trusted Adam enough to know that he would be fine on his own.

"I'll be back soon." He said before leaving, placing a small kiss on her forehead.

Belladonna waited a few minutes before daring to get out of the tent. They were inside the cave anyway so the zone was protected by the thin layer of leaves and nature that kept hidden the hot springs. She allowed himself to stare at the beauty of the water illuminated by the blue dust crystals inside and on the walls of the cave. She remembered her first night with Adam, it had been so romantic… But comparing those times and that Adam with the person he had become now made Blake feel sad. A lot changed during that time, their relationship had evolved too: from a secret, a small slip one night being both together and alone, to an official compromise, being the couple that had the weight of the Vale brotherhood on their shoulders. At least it had been in the beginning, now Blake felt like she was irrelevant, just a pawn.

She violently shook her head before trying to examine her present with Adam. They were there to enjoy the weekend and spend time together. The cat faunus, willing to submerge in the hot springs, tied her black hair in a bun and took her boots off. She made a small mountain inside the tent with all of her clothes, not even leaving her underwear on. Unconsciously, Blake wanted to mimic what happened that first night with Adam, she wanted to take him back, his true self that made her fall in love with him.

When Taurus returned, he found Blake already inside the hot springs. Before his instincts could control him, left the wood near the entrance of the hidden cave. He started a fire there to scare away the wild animals and Grimm that could have used to enter the cave. They didn't want any surprise guests there tonight. When he turned to face the cat faunus she found her leaned against the rocks with her eyes closed, completely relaxed. Adam quickly took his own clothes off, not even caring about leaving them inside the tent. He had Belladonna for himself that night and he would enjoy it.

The cat faunus felt the water around her move. Then two strong arms got a grip around her and a warm breath was brushing her neck.

"Getting hot in here?" He whispered, his fingers slowly making a trail down her stomach.

Belladonna, instead of following his dirty games, embraced him and leaned her head against his chest. She yearned for that kind of contact, not sexual at all despite being naked inside a hot spring. That comfort coming from their hug made Blake believe she was safe in their loneliness and made her enter a light sleep, trusting her partner's arms. Adam held her firm as her breath was each time deeper, entering a calm slumber.

"Love?" Taurus called her, seeing how she fell asleep. The night was young and she was already resting. He shook her body slightly, trying to make her open her eyes. "Darling, wake up." He complained insistently.

Seeing no reaction from his love, Adam made her turn, her stomach against the rocks, half of her body still submerged in the warm water. He touched her legs and parted them just to after that press himself against her back.

Belladonna woke up when felt a rough hand shoving her head against the rocks. The cat faunus immediately panicked and tried to move but an arm was wrapped around her waist, preventing her from leaving.

"What are you doing?!" Blake yelled, feeling how he pressed himself inside of her body. She wasn't prepared and the sensation wasn't pleasant at all.

"Claiming what's mine." He replied, pushing deeper than her body could allow.

The hand that was pushing down her head went to the back of her neck as he started a rhythmic movement with his hips, thrusting in and out of her. Blake managed to sneak a hand out from his grip and put some space between her body and the rocks pressed against it, hurting her sensitive skin. Everything she was doing was in vain as Adam continued having his way with her.

"You are hurting me!" She whimpered, trying to get free from his controlling grip.

"Hush." He ordered, tightening her stomach skin. "Don't ruin the moment."

Belladonna couldn't stare that torture and managed to turn and face him. She pushed his body away with her legs and got him out of her way to exit the hot pool. Taurus tried to grab Blake and prevent her from leaving but she was faster than him and had already jumped out of the spring.

The cat faunus quickly ran to grab a towel and wrap it around her wet body. She wasn't safe there and Adam surely was angry but trying to leave would only make the situation worse. She had to face him. As soon as she turned, found him staring at her with spite, a few feets away.

"I wanted to spend a short vacation with you and enjoy some time alone but you always manage to ruin everything I plan for us somehow!" He yelled with hatred, completely pissed, his fists closed with strength. The sight was terrifying and Blake was trembling due to the fear and the cold.

"Denying sex is ruining everything?" She complained. But before he could say something else, she continued: "I was sleeping!"

"I don't need your consent as you belong to me." Taurus approached her, threatening her with each step. "Don't tell me you weren't asking for it."

Blake's cat ears lowered down in shame. She may have given him the wrong signs and it was true that she wanted at first but after she fell asleep nothing gave him the power to take advantage of her. Then Belladonna recognized something on his eyes: suspicion.

"Then why would you search for the box under my bed?" He started. Blake knew there was no turning back, he hadn't believed her excuse back in the headquarter before leaving. He knew she had found the letters. "This is a way to torment me, right?"

Blake shook her head and stepped backward but Taurus was determined and didn't let her get away from him.

"You saw the letters, don't deny it." He said gripping his fingers around her wrist painfully. Blake flinched due to the pain and tried to let go but the resistance made it worse. Curiosity killed the cat.

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to see them! It was a coincidence!" Belladonna cried, trying to maintain the towel wrapped around her body and at the same time let go of her mentor. "I didn't mean to-...!"

"Then why would you guess the code to open the box?!" His yells were each time louder and Blake could only cry and tremble, like a broken doll under his power, hoping he wouldn't crush her.

"I wish I hadn't seen them!" Belladonna kept repeating. "I just want to be with you, Adam, but you are making everything incredibly difficult." She clarified.

The pressure on her wrist stopped as he let go of her out of pure reject. Blake froze on her place and watched how Adam walked in circles, rubbing his forehead and thinking too hard about everything. Every time he would overthink Blake would end hurt and she just braced herself for what was going about to happen.

"You make me feel like I'm the bad guy." He sentenced, his voice more stable now. "Look at yourself, you are pathetic. Always trying to put the blame on me…"

"Adam-...!" Blake tried to reason with him and stop the fight but he motioned for her to shut up.

"This time it was you who ruined everything." He spat.

Tables had turned. Adam was the one wrong, the controlling partner that isolated Blake and refused to send the letters to the people she loved. Nevertheless, he made her see as if she were the one wrong for sneaking into his things and open his hidden and private objects. Belladonna didn't even care about those never sent letters. Instead, she wanted to comfort Adam, the one who was pretending to be hurt when it should be just the contrary.

"Let me make it up to you." Blake begged, desperately pacing towards him to caress his cheek and neck. "Forget about everything, give me a chance to compensate my faults…"

Belladonna's words were cut out suddenly. Adam put his hands on her hips and pushed her backward, with the bad luck that Blake fell to the floor. She felt a rock hit her lower back but she was convinced that falling had been entirely her fault and not Adam's for pushing her. He didn't show any kind of compassion for Blake and went inside the tent.

The cat faunus could only cry, seeing the person she loved the most reject her contact that way. He was angry and he deserved to be and Belladonna deserved such scorn from Adam. His mental games had done so much in her that she just didn't even bother to get up and continued crying on the floor. She didn't care about anything anymore, Adam would do his will and she couldn't say no to his wishes. She didn't even react when she heard him coming out of the tent and his steps stopping just right in front of her.

"Get dressed. We're leaving." He announced.

Blake looked up just to find her clothes thrown at her face by Adam. He was already dressed and after that loaded Wilt and Blush with dust and ammo. She unconsciously stared at the exit of the cave, the fire would scare away the Grimm but going outside past midnight would only get them killed.

"It's dangerous!" Blake complained, drying her tears and getting up. "Leaving now is-..."

"Then I'm leaving. Alone." He nailed his eyes on hers, defying her spirit.

He was willing to leave, but Blake clung onto him, grabbing his coat with her fingers. That grip wasn't enough so she let go of her towel and embraced his back, nailing her feet on the earth to prevent him from leaving her there alone. Belladonna couldn't let him go. The dependency was hers and now that Adam knew it he would surely take advantage of it to bring Blake to her knees and make her submit. He just yearned for more power over her, he had never enough, always hungry of more control.

Blake cried against his back, tightly hugging him. "Please, Adam. Don't leave me alone…" She continued begging until his feet stopped pacing towards the Forever Fall forest. "Do you really prefer going out there instead of staying safe with me?"

"Right now I don't see any difference between you and the Grimm." He spat with scorn, not even caring about her tears.

Belladonna was too focused on making him stay that didn't even care about his hurtful words. He just wanted him to be safe. As much strength as he had, wild Grimm had an advantage on their terve and at night. It would be a sure death and even more risking everything and going alone.

"Then tell me what I can do to make you stay." She insisted, moving from his back to his chest, facing him. "I'll do whatever you want me to…"

It was hard to hide a smirk coming from Taurus. It was just what he wanted to hear: complete submission and loyalty. His wishes would come true whatever he asked her. But if he showed complaisance so fast its effect on her would disappear. This strategy had a lot of potential and worked well on her. However, Taurus never had enough.

"I don't want anything you can offer me, Blake." He sentenced, staring at her naked body and vulnerable skin. "But to show you that I'm not ungrateful like you, I'll accept the offer."

Belladonna suddenly didn't know what to feel. She had managed to make Adam stay, but at which price? She felt betrayed by herself and disgusted with everything accepted to return inside the tent with Taurus. He had gotten what he wanted from her. Again.

* * *

Blake wrapped one of Adam's coats around her, using it as a blanket as she laid on the bed, her book half-open. She used to feel so calm but at the same time concerned when Taurus left for missions. This time it wasn't different. Besides, an extra burden was tormenting the cat faunus.

She and Taurus argued before leaving for the mission. He told her that she was ready to return to the missions with him as a partner. But Blake denied his demands and rejected going with him, the memory of that day he forced her to kill an innocent human still echoed on her mind from time to time. She didn't want to aid in that kind of violence and contribute the bloodshed. Despite being risky going alone in a mission, she let Adam go, the strategy being already familiar to her. She could stand the pain inflicted to her but she wouldn't hurt somebody else, she didn't believe in that way to achieve equality. She wanted a better world, equality, not actual bloodshed and revenge.

Of course, she couldn't convince Adam to not kill or go to the mission or they would have argued really bad. So, Belladonna was left in the peace of their bedroom, using his coat as a blanket and ready to continue the last chapter of her new book. It was so easy to forget everything while reading and entering another world. It made all her problems fade away, even Adam disappeared from her thoughts. It had been a while since she hadn't experienced such calm so her body relaxed and relaxed, forgetting about the time Taurus should return and finally the cat faunus fell asleep. Even that night Taurus didn't appear in her dreams. Her mind seemed to finally have achieved some pace now that she had recovered and Adam was busy with his duties as a leader. At least she was left alone much often and could taste the freedom from time to time.

But the calm didn't last long. After a few hours, when the sun hadn't risen yet, the door of their shared dorm was opened roughly, impacting the doorknob with the wall violently. The cat faunus jumped in her sleep and suddenly opened her eyes, her sight trying to get used to the ambiance of the room. Belladonna saw Taurus' silhouette slipping inside their bathroom, closing the door loudly. Was that a sign that he wanted Belladonna to know he just arrived? Was he hurt? Was he still angry because she refused to go to the mission with him? Maybe something went wrong and he would blame her. But if Belladonna decided to not wake up the consequences would be worse. So, still sleepy, the cat faunus got on her feet and guided her feet towards the bathroom. Accidentally she dropped Wilt and Blush that he had left leaning against the wall but arrived before the bathroom door.

"Love." She called softly, her knuckles slowly knocking on the wood. "Adam, are you hurt?"

Blake could hear him breathing heavily, the water running being splashed. She feared the worse and had to enter but trying not to anger Taurus. Using her smooth skills, the cat faunus knocked again on the door but no answer came.

"I'm entering." She announced and carefully opened the door of the bathroom.

The cat faunus saw the room consumed by darkness and distinguished Adam's shadow, leaning on the sink, the water of the sink running as he washed his face. Blake softly caressed his back in soothing circles.

"Hey…" She started, her hands trailing up to his shoulders. Suddenly her fingers touched something sticky on his coat. "What's this?"

Belladonna touched the light switch and the room was immediately illuminated. The first thing she saw was the blood staining the white of the switch, blood that was on her hands, coming in the first place from Adam's jacket.

Adam took off his mask and stared at Blake's horrified expression while staring at the red oozing blood. She slowly turned and met him, he was covered in red...

"What have you done, Adam?!" The cat faunus suddenly yelled, hyperventilating while seeing the blood in the sink and staining his face's skin and clothes. "Where did that blood come from?!"

Blake almost wished he had been the one hurt but Taurus was still standing, firm, his breath stable. She didn't want to hear the answer, Blake already knew it deep down. His blue eyes, being the only colorful contrast with red, stared at her with an undefined emotion, no expression, total emptiness, soulless… Belladonna tried to wake up from the nightmare but there was no illusion, everything was real.

"They deserved it." He muttered, coming closer towards Blake. She was petrified. "They earned this by themselves."

He showed her the dripping blood falling to the ground from his gloved fingers. He wasn't feeling guilty nor pleased, he was senseless, as if a monster had possessed him. His hands were now covered in blood, the same hands that gave her love and pleasure but also pain. His hands: the ones that could steal her life or protect her at all costs.

"How many have die-... have been killed?" She corrected, leaning her back against the wall, feeling dizzy because of all the blood.

"I didn't count." He replied and so careless returned to the sink to wash his face and hands.

Belladonna used that time he spent wiping out the blood to think. She sat down on the WC and stared at her hands, also stained with blood. It was her fault too, she could have avoided killing humans and saving lives if she had accepted the mission with Taurus. Then the tormentous memory of when she had to murder that human on the train returned to her thoughts. The image of that human's life vanishing out of his body repeated again and again in slow motion in her mind. It was her fault too, that blood was also spilled because of her, she was aiding the violence by being in the White Fang. She was under Adam's orders, she was sleeping with him, giving hin support when he needed it even if he didn't deserve a word coming from her.

But what alarmed Blake was Taurus' attitude. Her blood had also been in his hands many times from the abuse. What guaranteed her that her life would be safe by staying by his side? Those hands loved to hurt people until his rage got calmed. He was never satisfied, he needed more power, vengeance, blood… And he never got enough. He assured he loved her: then why was he capable of abusing her too?

Belladonna had been blind since Ilia left. Of course she knew Adam didn't behave well but he hadn't hit her again…He had some slips but it wasn't like the last brutal beating that sent her to the hospital with broken bones. He hadn't even slapped her and that had been enough for Blake, she wanted a reason to stay because she knew starting all over again would be hard and she would have to struggle. She had a place to be with Adam, but at which cost?

"Are you going to stay there all night?" He asked when he was done.

Blake looked up at him and saw that he had taken off the clothes stained with blood and he had left them on the shower to wash later. He seemed tired but the fury he usually showed was gone, at least for now. Did take lives really help Adam feel better? What kind of monster was he?

"It has been a bloodshed." The cat faunus muttered, seeing the traces of blood and all the small drops that had been dripping from his clothes now drying on the floor. "How can you allow such executions?"

Blake now faced him, demanding an answer. As he would say, she was forgetting her place. In other circumstances he would have dragged her to the bed and claim her but he was willing to entertain himself with more than just sex that night. He was in the mood for arguing with his adorable pupil.

"Humanity has to learn." Taurus started. "It's not my fault they have to pay with their blood."

Belladonna's blood boiled. Of course, she had witnessed violence and had experienced racism and her own father's life had been threatened just because he created a peaceful organization. Adam changed the philosophies, the White Fang had evolved to a more violent force of angry faunus that had been discriminated and rejected by society. None of that bloodshed benefited anybody.

"It is your fault! You command the troops!" She complained, really frustrated. He had given the orders, cruel commands that only he could force to be accomplished by the subordinates.

"Don't question my methods. You don't even participate in our activities anymore." His technique was definitive to shut Blake up, at least momentarily.

"Activities? That's what you call to this wave of terrorism you started?" She asked back, returning the topic to the general field and not to her own blame he was trying to put on her, a strategy she got used to after so many manipulations.

"You belong to this group whether you like it or not." He reminded her. "Your father was the start of it all."

Once again, he tried to change the topic, now to her parents, another sensitive spot she usually felt guilty about. Belladonna was done and didn't fall for any of his toxic schemes. Enough of mental manipulations and threats, it was time to really talk about him, Adam Taurus.

"You and Sienna changed everything." She reminded him. "I don't feel identified with the faunus movement anymore, I don't believe in these methods."

Taurus changed the tactic and relaxed his shoulders, sighing and letting go of the tension. Blake had just given him a way out of that argument and have her under his palm again. He only needed a little bit of softness.

"I understand, my darling." He said soothingly to comfort Blake and make her believe she was right. He approached forward and lifted his hand to slowly caress her face but the cat faunus suddenly faded before his eyes, his semblance leaving a shadow copy that faded with his touch. Taurus turned and found Blake behind him, arms crossed over her chest.

"Don't touch me." She begged, her eyes watering down. "I can't do this anymore! Your life is filled with death and blood and you don't care if you drag me with you into the misery."

Blake let out the angst that had been tormenting since the cycle of violence and abuse had started, since she met Adam and left her parents, her home. He was just going to caress her with the hands that a minute ago had been stained with blood from humans that Taurus himself had murdered.

"I care about you, my love. I swear-...!" But the cat faunus didn't allow Taurus to corner her so he could calm and submit her to his wishes.

"Don't swear for me! You don't care about anyone: me, your friends nor subordinates!" She yelled, taking out all she had been keeping a secret since Adam kicked Ilia out of the Vale branch.

Adam crossed Blake's face with his palm, leaving a vibrant red mark on one of her cheeks. He kept his hand up and realized what he had just done… Violence with her didn't work, that would only make her run away. He had learned that physical threats weren't useful. What had worked well these last months had been making her feel guilty and with the need to compensate him for behaving badly. But his nerves had won him and he couldn't let the insolent Blake question his decisions as leader of the branch. She was out of her place and when that happened he knew what the solution was.

"If you're going to be an obstacle to my goal then you can leave." Adam sentenced, risking more than he could stand but at the same time hoping she would beg him to let her stay.

Belladonna tasted the flavor of the choice he was giving her. Then a wave of coppery liquid filled her mouth, it was her blood. She doubted he was letting her leave so freely, without any consequence but months ago that would have never crossed his mind to let her go like that. Maybe he was just tired of her. Love was over, Blake was done and he just saw her as a useless puppet now. He was more passionate than ever, intense, uncontrollable. The cat faunus has always worked as his center, a rock to keep him firm and to hold on. Maybe he had enough strength and power for himself now.

"Then I'll pack my things." She said, her feet not even knowing which way to walk as her hands, untied from his control, were now opening the closed to grab a big backpack to fit some things inside.

Taurus kept staring at her as she packed clothes, shoes, and books inside the backpack, the most essential belongings she needed. Belladonna felt a drop of sweat roll down her forehead. She didn't know where to go. For some time she would have liked to abandon the White Fang and Adam to start a new life somewhere, even with Ilia she was close to a new beginning. But now that Adam seemed to give her free choice to leave, Belladonna didn't know where to start. There were so many possibilities but at the same time, leaving so many things behind was making her chest ache.

The cat faunus rolled up the zipper of the backpack, her hands firm, not showing any kind of emotional struggle or internal dilemma. When she got up and placed the bag on her back, her eyes met Adam's, who was closer than the last time she had looked at him. She tried to guess the hidden emotion beyond his eyes. There was no anger, just pain, and sad rage. Belladonna started to tremble even though there didn't seem to be any sign of incoming violence, just mutual hurt. She was an obstacle, after all, he didn't need her anymore and he was letting her leave.

"Goodbye." The cat faunus just had the strength to say that last word and turn to face the door. However, when her fingers wrapped the doorknob, she heard Taurus clearing his throat.

"Cross that door. I dare you." He defied Blake in a threatening tone. The cat faunus committed the first mistake: turn around to face him. "Where the hell are you even going? What do you think you'll do out there without me?!"

Belladonna made a few steps back as he advanced towards her way. The backpack touched the wall behind her, there was no way out. She could smell his rage every time closer.

"I want to return to Menagerie and see my family." She spat out, both minds thinking about the letters Taurus had hidden and that never were sent to her parents. "I want to rest, have some time alone to myself and figure things out."

Despite not saying anything disrespectful, the fact of Blake having a point and all the right to leave made the bull faunus' anger increase. She had told her to leave and he had seen she was capable to do it, so it was time to change the strategy so she would be under his hand once more.

"Your parents…" He chuckled. "Do you think they will welcome you with open arms after years of not knowing anything from you? After that argument with them before leaving the island? Even after not replying to their letters?!"

"That's not my fault!" Belladonna instinctively yelled back, feeling threatened by his dangerous stance. "You know what you did, Adam."

"Are you threatening me?" His fingers were nailed on her cheeks now, squishing them together and making her look upwards to him. "You're the insolent brat that left her parents without a proper goodbye. Do you really think they will still love you after what you did?"

Blake felt her blood froze. The missions, mine assaults, trains hijacked, human bloodshed… Of course, her parents were aware of the news of the White Fang. He father was the former High Leader and as a chieftain he had to discuss the Brotherhood's actions with the faunus council and Sienna. Blake knew her father hated violence and that tried to avoid the path she was in now.

"I may have taken the wrong decisions but-..." She tried to continue uselessly.

"Staying by my side is making a wrong choice, huh?" Now his fingers were wrapped around her neck, tightening both sides. "You don't deserve forgiveness nor love, you should be grateful for having me."

"Stop…" Belladonna thought she had muttered uselessly but his hands loved from her neck to shoulders, pushing her back against the wall.

"I'm the one who has given you a place to be when your own family rejected you for your ideas. You have a decent job and a good monthly allowance thanks to me." He reminded her, twisting the reality to his favor. "And you repay me with your hate."

The cat faunus closed her eyes painfully to hide her crystalizing eyes. There it was again the mental torture Taurus used. He achieved to question her own truth and judgment, making his vision of the story the only valid here.

"I love you, Blake but you are not behaving and as a leader I need to take larger strides with you." He added, grabbing the wrist of the hand she was holding Gambol Shroud with. "I wish we hadn't arrived at this point again, but there is no other way. You need to learn."

She closed her eyes tightly as he stood in front of her, closer and closer. She felt the coldness of her own weapon near to her neck. It was the edge of Gambol Shroud katana. He has the power of ending her life if he wanted, all he had to do was pull the trigger or slice her skin.

"Leaving the White Fang doesn't mean leaving you too…" Blake tried to negotiate but none of her mutters made the sword go away from her neck, instead, the sharp edge was slightly nailed on her flesh.

"None of that." He sentenced. "You won't question my orders. You will come to missions with me, being the perfect partner. You would die for me." Taurus chucked and sighed. "What happened to you, Blake? I don't even recognize you anymore."

The cat faunus knew there was nothing she could do to stop the cycle of violence. All she did was stay and let Adam poison her heart and mind with his hurtful words. She would feel a bullet piercing her chest every time he mentioned her parents. His fingers dug into her skin until he dragged blood and he pushed the sword deeper and deeper, making her skin slightly red for the pressure. Blake could never leave from the White Fang. She couldn't escape from him, he would chase her and surely give her a mortal hit to punish her insolence.

"Enough…" Blake begged as she started to cry, feeding even more Adam's hunger of power and control.

"You're a mess." He spat out. "Do you really think you can go out there without me? We belong together, Blake. You need me."

He continued manipulating her and trying to persuade her mind. Belladonna felt her heart beating rapidly, and it wouldn't slow down unless the torture finished soon. But Adam didn't seem to want to stop any soon. His hands were mixing the human blood with hers as he continued scratching her neck and shoulders, as if he were trying to rip her skin off.

"Look at me." He commanded, but Belladonna refused to open her eyes. Taurus roughly made her face him, their eyes locked together. "Don't you love me?" At the lack of response he violently shook her body by the shoulders. "Answer me!"

Blake wasn't able to speak, her mouth was filled with blood from biting her inner cheek due to the tension. Despite that, Adam continued pushing her limits, insisting and abusing her fragile body that couldn't stop trembling. Eventually, her legs cramped and Blake fell to the floor from her own weary body and Adam's pushes. She curled into a corner and felt as if she were about to have a heart attack. She couldn't breathe, choking on her own cries and blood. Her body wasn't responding and Adam's yells turned into a slowly fading echo. The cat faunus covered her ears with her hands, she didn't want to feel anymore, she was tired of everything, she just wanted it to finish. Her body seemed to react according to her wishes, the anxiety not letting her function correctly. She was curled up in a corner, not even in control of her own body and Taurus just stood there, senseless, careless about her state.

"Stop crying, I'm so sick of you pretending to be scared." He barked at her, finally seeming to be tired of a using her, making a few steps back to contemplate her pathetic image.

But what Blake was experiencing was beyond crying. She couldn't stop it and even Adam soon noticed her reaction was beyond her control. He kneeled down and tried to unmake the curled ball Blake was reduced to. He brushed the hair off her face and wiped away the sweat. She didn't offer resistance and let him manipulate her like a broken doll. She had no other choice than hold onto him as she held her in his arms. She tried to stable her breath but it was useless, the situation was too much for her to handle properly.

"Oh darling, no one cares about your pity act." Adam cruelly said, brushing her hair off her face. "Gasp for air all you like."

Minuted passed and Belladonna was even worse than before. She was helpless in his arms, she felt the control of her own life slipping away and the sensation of having a heart attack persisted. Taurus frowned and held Blake tighter, he could even feel her rapid heartbeats through her clothes. She wasn't exaggerating, he noticed. It wasn't a childish tantrum. Belladonna was really struggling to live. She was pale and shaking, sweating non-stop and noisily breathing. The bull faunus placed his hand on her chest and pushed it down to try and calm down her breathing.

"Don't fight me." Adam commanded and slowly stopped the pressure. "Now inhale." When she obeyed, he pressed down her chest once more. "Exhale."

The first minutes Blake tried to calm down sloppily but Adam's technique ended working well, his hand helping her stabilize her breath. She ended half-sleep in his arms, both on the floor. Blake thought she was losing control of her life, that anytime soon her heart would have stopped beating. Taurus had the power to get on her nerves but she had never experienced that difficulty to breathe and keep her heart beating before. That extreme she reached only for his words scared her a lot. He had both of the powers: to destroy her mentally and physically. And that terrified her because she didn't feel safe in her own skin anymore.

"Wake up, love." She heard his voice echo, too tired to respond to all of her senses after such a crisis. He slapped her cheek softly and Blake made an effort to open her eyes and cling to his arms while he pulled her on her feet. Once she recovered the equilibrium and stability, he tangles his arm on her waist and pulled her close to caress her sweaty forehead.

"I pushed you too hard, didn't I?" He asked rhetorically, staring at the backpack on the floor. "But you need to comprehend you'll keep performing in missions with me as a partner. You can't leave me."

Belladonna didn't need to be told that getting away from Adam was impossible. At this point he had total control her, she couldn't say no to his demands. If he was telling her that she would go to missions, she should obey for her own well-being.

"I understand." She muttered, her head low in shame.

"... Good girl." He praised her and pulled her closer, like a snake who tried to strangulate its victim. Blake felt the necessity to put her hands on his chest to guarantee some space for her to breathe. "Now you'll let me make it up to you, won't you?" He hummed, his sight on the beginning of her pajamas, desiring to take them off and claim her.

Blake had no longer strength to resist. He untied her pajama and left her naked quickly as his mouth kissed each one of the wounds inflicted by him. The cat faunus just let her weight sink down on the couch when they moved to the bed and closed her eyes waiting for the inevitable while hearing the sound of his belt unbuckling. The exciting heat Blake normally would feel was nowhere to be found and during the union of her bodies she only felt discomfort and chills, a coldness that left a void inside of her that Taurus could no longer fill emotionally. She was no longer in love, he didn't feel love for her either. This relationship would consume both of them if Belladonna continued by his side. Everything had to end.

"How I adore you, my sweet Blake." He whispered while reaching his own edge. Each thrust more brutal than the last one.

The cat faunus didn't move until she heard him on the climax. He caught some breath and a few seconds later left her and turned aside on the bed to have some sleep. Not even without the last mocking kiss on the forehead to fake he cared about her in those one-sided sexual encounters. Blake didn't even feel pain, her body no longer reacted to his touch. Regardless, all she could sense was displeasancy and hate for his body. It made her stomach hurt with the mere thought of having him inside of her…

Belladonna was still exhausted after the intense roller coaster of emotions but anyway got up from the bed and wearily locked herself inside the bathroom to wash her body and face. However, when she turned on the lights found the previous stains of blood now on her hands and looking all around all she could see was human blood, death that Adam caused wherever he would go. That could be her too.

She sank her head in the toilet to throw up the rests of dinner she had taken before Taurus' arrival. Her head boiled and her body was colder than ever as she let out the small content of her stomach. Was it for the nerves, the stress or a secondary effect of that undesired touch from her lover? Whatever it was it made her insides turn upside down and she knew she couldn't keep like this anymore. If Adam wouldn't stop then she would have to not let him do more harm to her. And it only had a solution: leave in a strategic moment.

* * *

All the chaos from last night had been for something, it wasn't a coincidence. Their next mission was next morning and Blake had to force herself and wake up to enter the White Fang hidden camp on the Forever Fall forest. She felt Adam tightly gripping her wrist with his gloved fingers as they walked forward, almost dragging her behind him. He was wearing his mask and he seemed very angry.

They soon arrived at the hidden camp. There, Adam's best men were waiting for them, preparing weapons and bombs. The coordination of that new operation made Blake panic. Luckily, as soon as their brothers of the White Fang saw them, Taurus let go of her wrist. She sighed in relief and stopped her steps to examine the details of the mission. However, she got no answer from only her eyes so she picked up the pace and moved beside Adam.

"What will we do?" Belladonna dared to ask, risking her well-being by making a question in the wrong moment.

"Train hijack." He replied briefly. "But only we will enter the train. The others will cover us and help for the dust transport." The stolen material on missions would normally be kept by the organization and those enormous boxes couldn't be only carried by them two. "Get ready and move near the cliff. I'll be there soon." He ordered, pointing to their tent where some things she would need would be.

The cat faunus felt relief when she could enter one of the tents and isolate herself for a while. Those bombs outside only meant Adam would want to blow up the train and that would result with a lot of deaths from just workers and employees on the train. She couldn't allow that. When he hurt her it was her responsibility, her own body, she could bear that. But the weight of human lives stolen by him… That was something she wouldn't tolerate. But how could she stop him? The bombs were being handled by the other members, she couldn't go in and manipulate the explosives unnoticed. Convincing Taurus wasn't an option neither, he had his objective clear and the last time it hadn't worked. Maybe he would even make her detonate the explosives. But she couldn't let him kill more lives by doing it himself nor ordering it. She knew the mentality of the White Fang couldn't be changed, so she had to leave.

Yeah, maybe that was it. If she left during the mission Adam would be more worried about her escaping and not about killing the humans on the train. There was a potential risk although: what if she couldn't get away in time? If he caught her again, would she end dead? No, she couldn't stay and wait to figure it out. She didn't love Adam anymore and neither did he. The White Fang was no longer a pacific movement, it was terrorism and she couldn't continue aiding on that violence. It was the end. No more.

The cat faunus quickly moved to grab useful things she would need. First of all, Gambol Shroud, locked and loaded with dust and bullets. Then she tangled a pair of dark ribbons around her arms, to have enough in case she should camouflage her faunus traits among the human crowd. Last of all, she found one special book: one of Saint Valentine's day present Adam made to her. It was pure romance and under the cover he had written a romantic love letter. She would keep it as a reminder to not let any other man in her life destroy her like Taurus did.

With all of that settled, Belladonna exited the tent and moved deeper into the Forever Fall Forest, near the train rails, close to the cliff they'd have to jump in order to sneak in. She knew Adam could be busy for some minutes more so she found a spot with a big rock where she could sit and re-read the letter inside the book. Blake imagined his voice saying the same words that were written, then she would believe it but now all of that were evident lies that she had to stop reading. Besides Adam's handwriting there was the author's quote before beginning the story:

"Your hopes have become my burden. I'll find my own liberation." How accurate and ironic destiny was.

Blake's cat ears perked up as she heard Adam's calm steps coming towards her. She closed the book with her hands and hid it between her waist and the elastic band of her white short pants.

"Blake." He called her. There was no longer that special tingle that made her feel goosebumps when her name was pronounced by him. Now all it implied was that something difficult was going to come. "It's time." He reminded her.

Her heart betrayed her one last time and the dangerous question crossed her mind: Did she really want to leave him? That would imply a new life, struggling to build a new hidden identity faking she was a human… He had convinced her that in Menagerie her parents would reject her but Blake had no other choice. She would leave and he wouldn't catch her this time.

"Okay."

* * *

Rough stuff.

I may change the order of the chapters and put "Tainted Love part I" just before this drabble on the chapter index. Don't find it weird if the order of a few drabbles change, it's just me messing with the chapters.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Before answering to your review, I want to address a topic with you about your request. In Adam Xiao Long AU, he mentions nothing about the Schnee family nor Weiss being in her sister's team. Nevertheless, now that his brand was showed and we can guess his past as a slave. My question is: How do you want me to address the Schnee topic in the Adam Xiao Long AU? Do you want me to ignore it and maybe make Adam without his canon face model and explain his past as being rescued by Raven and Tai-Yang? Or maybe you prefer to make some changes and adjust his issues with the Schnee family in the drabble too? Sincerely, I have a lot of the AU written and changing it would mean rewriting the drabble, but the decision is up to you.

 **Princess-Sera:** You're welcome! Feel free to share your thoughts in the reviews and vote in the poll.

 **Karvost:** Thank you very much! I spent a lovely birthday with my loved ones and friends. I'm glad you are enjoying this mental/psychological drabbles, I must admit that what I like the most about Tauradonna is writing about the mental strategies, manipulation and things that make people change (like Adam did).

 **Angel's Meraki:** Student issues *cries* Next drabble is here and it's long so I hope you have enjoyed it as well. I have hopes that I will return to updating one chapter per week, someday...

 **The Wizardrous Magicman:** Definitely I enjoy sometimes to write AU's and the characters a bit OCC. But now that we know a bit more about Adam and he has interacted directly for a little longer I prefer (for now) to explore his dark mentality and rough past and project it on his own personality. I guess that was all his relationship with Blake was, as you said: a bit of interest, a bit of feeling, some manipulation, and toxicity. Expect more drabbles touching these dark themes from now on (although I also have to post the old ones I'm finishing). Nevertheless, the poll is down the end of the chapter for you to vote which drabble you want to read first. Leave your vote on the reviews!

Which drabble should I post next? **(Poll)**

Option #1: **Strip Poker:** Boring Sunday afternoon: Ilia, Adam, and Blake sit and decide to play poker, but instead of betting money they will decide to make the game more interesting by betting his clothes. How will the end game?

Option #2: **Adam's birthday:** Yeah, my birthday inspired a pair of new drabbles: Adam's birthday (and Blake's birthday is still in process). How can Blake make Ada enjoy his birthday after so many years spending it bitterly and alone? Bringing back old memories may be hurtful for him, but Blake will do her best to change his vision and make him spend a happy birthday with her.

Option #3: **Adam Xiao Long (AU) [merendinoemiliano's request]:** (Plot may change due to Adam's face reveal and other canon events that we need to discuss) Beacon AU where Adam is Yang's adoptive and overprotective sibling, making sure team RWBY never gets in trouble during their first year. However, he may find distractions in one of Yang's teammates while he tries to survive and master his last year of Hunter training. (Includes Qrow x Summer & Raven x TaiYang)

Vote in the reviews!

Frozenheart7


	32. Adam's birthday

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Adam's birthday

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** [Angsty & Fluffy] Adam has always hated his birthday due to his rough childhood as a slave in the dust mines. Blake knows it and is willing to change his vision about the celebration despite his poor cooperation. Will she achieve to make Adam enjoy his birthday for once?

 **A/N:** Blake's birthday will also be coming up soon once I post the other two drabbles of the last poll I did. I enjoyed a lot writing this and I'm thinking about making a drabble of Adam's past somehow but I don't know if I should wait for the Atlas arc in canon RWBY to know more details of the Schnee Dust Company, the dust mines and the racism in Atlas...

* * *

She had to wake up very early to surprise him as he was always the first one to wake up when the sun rose. She left him sleeping in the warmth of the bed as she went to the hideout kitchen and prepare the candles to blow. Today was Adam's birthday. He never celebrated it. The members of the White Fang made a surprise party for him once and Blake heard urban legends about his reaction. What she knew for sure that nobody had organized him anything else for his birthday. He kept quiet about it, never mentioned it to Blake but she was smarter and when they became close she searched for his file on the archive. There she discovered Taurus was born during a winter night in Atlas and the pain started since then. That was probably the reason why he hated his birthday, but the cat faunus, now that they were a couple, had an objective: made him see that now he could enjoy his birthday with close friends. No need for big surprise parties, presents, and fanfare. Just a small celebration. Blake would be satisfied only with changing his point of view about it.

Adam was no longer a slave, submitted to a human's selfish company. Everybody knew his past due to the brand on his face but nobody knew the details, not even Blake who sometimes heard him mutter things during nightmares and had the duty to calm his demons. Taurus became a strong man, a leader of a revolution, he had followers, a new family, he had a girlfriend… Blake blushed at the thought of that, she hoped it would mean an advance to him of having someone loving him by his side. She just wished she could be inside his head for a minute to try and guess what to do to help him. He was so stubborn that sometimes it was hard to deal with.

Finally, the cat faunus returned to the dorms floor with pancakes in hand, his favorite food for breakfast, and the candles ready to be lit. A big 22 made with red wax waiting to be blown. She slowly opened the door and found him still sleeping, in the same position than when she left. Carefully, Blake placed the dish with the pancakes and the candles on the bedside table, just in the direction he was facing so when he would open his eyes he would see the number of years he made. Belladonna lit the candles and sat on her side of the bed, staring at his naked back and muscular form.

She softly leaned forward and caressed his reddish hair out of his face so he could see. The softness of her fingers woke up Adam, who wasn't used to be awake 5 am5am.

"Happy birthday, to you..." Blake started singing very low, almost purring the classic melody.

Adam saw the flames burning up on top of the number-shaped candles and sighed enough to make the fire tremble. He stared at Blake by the corner of his eyes and covered his head with a pillow, muttering something very low that the cat faunus couldn't hear despite her four ears. His reaction was disappointing but she cheered herself up to try and get him excited for his special day.

"Come on, Adam. Think of a wish and blow the candles." Belladonna pushed him and got a hold on the pillow to pull it away from his face. "Do it for me, love?"

Her gentle begs couldn't be ignored by Adam. He grunted and turned to face the pancakes with the candles nailed on top. He admired Blake's smile when saw that he was about to cooperate and without thinking of a wish, a nonsense stupidity, blew the candles. He felt his girlfriend's warm embrace and a soft peck on his cheek after his cooperation. She wasn't so enthusiastic and clingy normally, it creeped Adam out a bit.

"Gods, Blake, what time is it again?" He complained and laid down on the bed again, making Blake lay too, not wanting to break the hug.

"You made 22 years at 2 am." She showed her knowledge of his life, remembering the file with his info. "It doesn't matter the time, just enjoy."

"How the hell did you know it was today?" He asked, a hoarse tone on his voice slightly still noticeable. But before he could hear something Blake shouldn't have done like sneaking into the archive, he changed his mind: "Nevermind. You are to tell no one that's today, understood?"

Now Blake couldn't help but erase her cheerful smile from her face. She was trying very hard to please him and nothing seemed to work. She already knew he wouldn't like a surprise party in his honor so she adjusted the celebration to Adam's preferences and even so, he wasn't happy.

"I won't if you ask me to." She replied, resigned. Taurus muttered a low 'thank you' in response. "But at least you should be happy about it."

"What's so happy about being another year closer to death?" Was his ironic reply to her hopes of making his birthday pleasant.

"It's not about that." She complained, getting up from the bed and starting to walk in circles, something she did when was nervous. "You're alive and you've become so much greater. Aren't you proud of your progress as a person?" She stared him at the eye, standing in front of the couch, very serious.

"If you mean from being a slave to a faunus rights organization leader… Maybe I should feel proud, but I struggled a lot to get here." He replied, as serious as her. She sounded as if he went from disgraced kid to responsible figure in a second and that was not it.

"Well, what's your point, then?" Blake asked, her voice adopting a more angry tone.

"You were born into this. I was born in slavery, in a filthy mine, an unwanted kid born from an unwanted relationship." Blake closed her eyes, he had told her her mother had been sexually assaulted by one of the guards and from there he was born. "You have no idea of how it is to raise yourself without a proper family, food nor money. My life has been hard and now I should go out there and celebrate I fought every second to arrive here?"

"I know, Adam." She replied, her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive position against his hurtful words. "That's what everybody admires from you. That's what brought me by your side too."

"You were born in Menagerie, Blake, under the protection of your family and the White Fang, away from the humans." He reminded her, as angry as her. "Everybody loved and praised you, you had access to everything you wanted without even asking for it. Don't try to comprehend me, you can't."

That last sentence made Belladonna's chest ache brutally, as if an arrow had pierced her whole body. She turned her face away to hide her disappointment with him and walked towards the door of the room to leave. Adam rubbed his face with his bare hands and sighed. His birthday was a taboo topic and Blake was being so pushy that he had exploded. Nevertheless, it was too late for him to apologize.

"If that's what you think then I'll rather stay alone this evening instead of having dinner with you." She said before crossing the door.

* * *

Everybody could tell Taurus was very angry when he decided to appear. His steps were heavier and louder, his fists were tightened close and his face showed no expression at all, but what really caught everybody's eyes was a small detail: Belladonna wasn't with him. That made some rumors run all over the hideout about infidelity, a broken romance and temper tantrums. Adam didn't want to hear any of that and even less another innocent 'happy birthday' so for his safety and the well-being of his subordinates, he spent all the morning locked up in his office, doing paperwork and reading reports from last missions. He thought he had managed to isolate himself from the others but then an innocent detail on his desk made him rot in guilt: a photograph with Blake in one of the luxurious parties her father made, especially the one surprise party they organized him when he stepped down as High Leader of the White Fang. Seeing it from the exterior, Adam saw that party as a great honor and a big 'thanks' for Ghira to lead his people. Then Taurus placed himself on Ghira's place. He would never get to enjoy one big luxurious party. That photograph didn't bring any emotion about yearning something but yes yearning somebody: Blake.

His thumb unconsciously caressed her image on the paper. She was beautiful that night even though she was younger than now she still looked like a woman. Blake was the woman he loved and wanted to have by his side. He had been lucky enough to find a good partner that cherished him as well and her innocent morning surprise had been ruined due to his bad temper. She didn't deserve such a response to her wish to spend a good birthday beside him. Taurus recognized it: he had no reason to be angry with her, he had exploded because his birthday reminded him of how miserable he had been as a kid. Belladonna had been lucky to have a loving family and he had blamed her as if she were spoilt or a bad person. She deserved a good family and a good house, his words had been too severe and she was right to be angry.

His chest ached painfully. It was because of guilt. He needed to fix things with Blake before it was too late to recognize his mistake and apologize. He really wanted to have dinner with her, they never had time to spend much time together and do romantic stuff. Even if Adam wasn't especially enthusiasmed with the occasion, dinner with her would really cheer his birthday up.

The scroll's alarm rang loudly, almost startling Adam who always expected the unexpected. A red notification appeared on the screen as he turned off the alarm. It was a reminder of a meeting with the high-rank members of the brotherhood. He had to assist but Blake had to be there as well. He could apologize without leaving his duties aside.

When Taurus arrived at the meeting room he found Sienna already there, speaking with the lieutenant, who had the duty to guard the room during private reunions. Sitting on a corner of the table, Adam found Blake who pretended to not notice he had arrived. She was playing with a pencil, making it spin between her fingers. In front of her, she had blank papers to write everything said during the meeting, she had that role even before dating thanks to Adam, who assigned her most-trusted subordinate to be present during those important meetings to write down everything accorded. She was seaten just on the opposite side of the table they would use to sit together. Everybody knew Adam's usual place with Blake and that change would catch everybody's attention like in the morning when he appeared alone. Not allowing that to happen again he silently sat beside Blake as the other members prepared themselves for the long and intense meeting.

Belladonna pretended to be busy writing down the day of the meeting and s title with big pretty calligraphy. Adam wanted to speak to her but the members of the meeting seemed to be more aware of him than ever. That was right, it was because it was his birthday and they had a dilemma about what to say. Sadly, Taurus had to postpone his chat with Belladonna and avoid any topic related to his birthday.

"Shall the meeting begin? I believe we're all here." Adam broke the conversations in the room with his authoritarian tone and they all sat down in a few seconds.

"The trip has been very long." Sienna sighing, taking the lead. "Thank you, brother Adam, you may sit."

Once the attention was off him and everybody seemed to listen to Sienna, he sat slightly closer to Blake. She ignored him and kept writing the main topics to discuss for that day's meeting. He leaned to a side near the cat ears on top of her head.

"Are you still mad at me?" He whispered.

Blake gave him a disappointing glance and returned to the paper, faking she was busy with other important things. The bull faunus brushed his hair up with his fingers and sighed. He had to do something to compensate his temper tantrum from before, Belladonna didn't deserve it. But he couldn't do much being in the middle of the meeting although he wanted to fix things as soon as possible, he hated to be angry with her. He wanted that special dinner with her even if it was for his birthday.

"Darling…" He started stroking her thigh with his hand upward and downward. Blake discreetly sneaked the hand that was on the table and tried to stop the daring bull faunus' caresses. Nevertheless, he ended holding her hand tenderly and Blake felt a hurtful beat through the heart while trying to break the grip.

"Enough, Adam." She said, a little louder than she expected, bringing all eyes to them.

"Is there any problem, Taurus?" Sienna asked, the silence now filling the room as they had been spotted touching each other under the table, at least that was what the others had guessed.

Adam got up from his seat and didn't let go of his love's hand. He pulled her arm softly to instruct Blake to get up too. Once they both were standing and facing the others, he spoke:

"We need a few minutes." Taurus said, as if it was enough to condone his interruption, and left the room dragging Blake behind him.

"What's your problem?!" Belladonna asked angrily once they were out of the meeting room.

"Forgive me." Adam begged, trying to reach for a furious Blake who refused his touch.

"I've had enough of this." Blake spat out, crossing her arms over her chest. "I try my best to do nice things for you and I keep receiving your reject. Can't you just be happy for once? Even if it is just for me?"

The bull faunus was left speechless after Blake's true words. She lowered her face and Adam heard how she started to cry silently, her black hair covering her sad expression. His chest really ached before that sight. Her tears were all for his fault and Adam didn't know how to act to make them stop. He tried to comfort her with a soft caress on her arm, but she flinched away, more hurt than he had ever seen her. It was all his fault, he couldn't deny it. He needed to fix it at the moment or the burden wouldn't let him concentrate. He didn't care about the meeting or the leadership, he just wanted Blake to accept his apologies. But she seemed really affected and sad, his darkest part of his mind thought maybe she would want to have some time alone and pause their romantic relationship.

"I said things that you didn't deserve to hear earlier." Taurus admitted. "I know you did it with your best intentions, I didn't know how to react because I've never had anybody to care for me like that."

"I don't know if-..." She started but then stopped. Adam felt the anxiety run through his veins, the pause was killing him. "I will never be able to fulfill you, Adam. If you want to finish this, go ahead."

"No." He almost yelled, his hands instantly placed on her shoulders. She thought she wasn't enough for him but Taurus had found on her what he had been yearning for so long: true love. "I don't want to lose you, love. You're upset and I hate to see you like this. Forgive me."

Blake let him pull her to a warm embrace. She held onto his shirt as he caressed her back and dark mane with his gloved hand. She could feel the urge he felt to hold her and have her between his arms. That was comforting for Belladonna, a sign that he really wanted her. It was enough at the moment for her, she hated being upset with him. At least this time he admitted he had the fault because sometimes an unbearable argument was because Taurus didn't want to accept his faults.

"I'm sorry." Blake apologized, letting all the pain go away with those words. Adam shook his head and replied: "You have nothing to apologize for. Can we please forget this and enjoy this special dinner you've prepared for us tonight?"

The cat faunus smiled and pressed herself against Adam in another tight hug. She purred happily and rubbed her head against his chest. "Of course we can." Blake replied, her voice now with a velvety texture she only used during their intimacy. "But what about the meeting?"

The subtle change of tone gave the bull faunus a hint. He pressed her hips against his center and she gave him a playful smirk.

"We can skip the meeting and discuss… other topics in our bed." He purred, for the first time forgetting about his duties as a leader and giving Blake his main priority as compensation.

* * *

Adam opened his eyes when he felt Blake's quiet steps in their room. He was already awake when she got up to have a shower, but he allowed himself another pleasure and stayed laying on the bed, resting before the intense night's arrival and after that passionate afternoon.

He followed Belladonna's way over the closet and appreciated her curves while she picked a fitting outfit for the occasion. It didn't take her long to pick a tight purple dress with black lace details that would suit her feminine silhouette. Taurus' lustful eyes observed how she put it on and struggled to zip the zipper on its back. Blake turned to see if he was awake to help her but found him already active, melting on the bed before her naked sight.

"Care to help me?" She asked, pointing at the zip of the dress.

Taurus immediately got up from the bed, only on his boxers, and quickly stood behind the cat faunus. Instead of zipping the dress up, he embraced her waist and made her face the internal mirror of the closet. The cat faunus observed her lover behind her as he pressed his center against her lower back.

"How about round number two?" He proposed, getting rid of the hair covering her neck and placing a sensual kiss on that delicate area that he knew she couldn't resist.

"Dinner will be cold for then." Belladonna had no other choice than saying no to his tentative proposal. He immediately comprehended it and zipped the dress up, being fit to her petite body. "I'll come for you in an hour, take a shower and put on that cologne I like so much."

"Yes, sir." He joked, it was strange to hear her giving orders instead of the usual situation. "Can I leave the bedroom at least?"

"Under no concept. And even less just in boxers." Blake thought about the other female faunus sighing for Adam's mysterious personality and strict manners. He knew he was feared and at the same time desired by many on the headquarter and it made him smirk slightly. "Not until I come for you, okay?"

Taurus shrugged and Blake pointed first at her eyes and then at his, a warning that she would watch him if he left. She closed the door behind her, not locking it because she trusted Adam. The bull faunus was left alone, also trusting in Blake about not throwing him a big surprise party and lying about just a romantic dinner. Adam imagined she would have looked for restaurants in Vale but some of them didn't allow faunus or treated them worse than human customers. He guessed going to a city's restaurant was out of the question. Blake knew he couldn't avoid seeing if the humans were discriminatory or not and they would want a quiet night just for them both.

He remembered a date they had once. Taurus spent days looking for a decent place with good employees and faunus allowance. Nevertheless, when Blake and Adam arrived they had to face a couple of human racist customers. Their night was ruined that time so he was cent percent sure that Blake had searched for another alternative than going to a restaurant or a public space.

However, the occasion deserved being nicely dressed and a generous amount of that masculine cologne Belladonna liked so much. Taurus decided to get up from the couch and walk towards the bathroom to take a shower. He grabbed his towel and adjusted the water to the wished temperature. He had always liked warm showers, not like Blake who preferred to be refreshed by cold water. He shaved quickly, something he likes to do before showering. When he finished, Adam entered the shower and relaxed as the vapor filled the room with its warmth. The water made him feel purified, it almost made him forget his childhood. In fact, Blake also did make him forget, also when he had to do speeches, lead a mission or a rally. He put some shampoo on his hands to clean his red hair and massaged his scalp. It was when he was left alone or with the people he loved that he started thinking about her mother and the dust mines. He sometimes felt uncomprehended and a void inside him couldn't be filled no matter what Blake or his subordinates said about him.

He shook his head, sending drops of water to the glass that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom. He didn't want to think about that again, he needed to keep calm and not overthink or he would end make Blake pay for his childhood traumas. She made a great effort for him. The fact of her thinking she didn't make him happy was something Taurus couldn't allow. And he would show Belladonna tonight that he was willing to change his mind about celebrating his birthday.

Being so immersed in his thoughts, Taurus spent more time than usual inside the shower. He briefly dried his body with the towel and after wrapping it around his waist, he spent several minutes applying his usual cream and lotion and of course, the cologne Blake liked so much. While his skin dried, he used a towel to take off the excess of water on his hair and quicken its process of drying. Once his hair was done, he couldn't forget his traits: the bull horns. He applied some wax to the tip and expanded it down his black horn to massage it down to the base. After he was done, his horns were shiny and looked very clean and polite.

He exited the bathroom and moved towards the closet to open its doors and choose an elegant outfit. Blake liked when he wore a simple shirt, she always praised him when he took off his jacket for once. He thought he could please her by picking a white shirt and a red tie to complement his red hair. For the pants, instead, he didn't have much variety to choose from so he picked black simple formal pants and the shoes he used only for important meetings and formal events. He couldn't remember the last time he had worn them. He had them just in case for these formal occasions. His closet didn't have much variety unless Blake who liked to look nice and refreshed on her free hours. He always preferred going on his daily clothes, the usual White Fang uniform and all that suited best the protocol.

He made sure his skin was dried before putting on the clothes, checking twice on the mirror before approving his image for that night. Afterward, he opened a drawer with a lock that contained his most valuable possessions: documents and jewels. He placed a black leather watch around his wrist as an accessory and for last, contained in a metallic box, he put on that expensive cologne that made the cat faunus melt. He was ready and set, hoping Belladonna could arrive soon so he wouldn't remain much time on his loneliness.

His thoughts seemed to be heard because not many minutes after, Blake appeared to bring him somewhere special to celebrate together.

"You look incredible." Belladonna said, welcoming him in a tight embrace. He heard her sniff the scent of his manly cologne. " … and hot." She whispered, provocative, earning a soft slap on her ass by the bull faunus.

"I wanted to look as sexy as you tonight." He replied, squeezing her flesh under the dress. Blake sighed in bliss but got separated from him, holding out her hand to Adam to guide him.

"Come on, aren't you hungry?" Belladonna asked playfully, doing it on purpose for the double meaning of the sentence. Adam just smirked and held her hand to let her guide him.

The cat faunus didn't bring Adam to the lower floors of the hideout as he expected, or even out of the building. Instead, Blake used the elevator and pressed the button that led to the upper floor, where only a few archive rooms were accumulating dust because nobody used to enter there. She caught him curiously looking at the button Blake pressed and she covered the panel with her body, trying to hide the inevitable.

"You know, I can see we're going up on the led screen." He pointed upwards at the red numbers that changed as they ascended the floors of the building. Blake's cheeks got red in embarrassment and changed her position, remaining silent until the doors of the elevator got open.

Before them, there was the long corridor that had several doors that led inside the enormous archive room. Adam watched carefully to where Blake stared at and guessed they wouldn't go to that corridor. He followed her upstairs, on one side of the exit of the elevator. Those stairs led them outside on the rooftop of the hideout, a desert place they used to go to talk about their private things.

When Blake opened the rooftop's door for him, Adam saw a lot of light despite being at night. His eyes got used to that brightness and slowly distinguished small flames. The perimeter of the edge of the rooftop was full of candles that gave the normally grey walls a romantic touch along with the forever fall forest on the surroundings of the building. The ambiance was ideal, warm, perfect for them… After all, something as vulgar as a rooftop was their secret place when they met at first after the daily routine to talk and later to kiss and share their love for each other. They had spent a good time there on many occasions before making their relationship official and making the next step. Taurus found appropriate the place and an excellent choice from Blake, who proudly contemplated the atmosphere she created for them.

"You've done an excellent job, Blake." He praised her, enchanted by the romanticism of the ambiance.

"Don't talk as my boss and thank me with a kiss." She dared to demand, facing the bull faunus so his complete attention would be on her.

Taurus roughly pulled the cat faunus towards him and didn't allow her a break, immediately clashing his lips with her and exploring their mouths in a deep kiss. It was that kind of quality time they both needed as a couple and that they couldn't have due to the task inside the White Fang, missions and lack of privacy on the headquarter. He squeezed her bottom and pressed her flesh against his body, giving it a little squeeze that made Blake escape a moan. He stared into her bright eyes as she playfully bit her lip after the passionate moment. He was going for another kiss but Belladonna had to pull away her own body or her plans would be ruined due to the 'delay'.

"Why don't we have dinner first?" The cat faunus proposed with that typical playful smile she made when she knew the night that would wait for them both. "And then I'll be all yours." That last part made Adam smirk and nod, letting her take the lead of their evening.

Blake brought him to their table in the rooftop, the only object that he didn't see due to the landscape's spectacularity. He had been so mesmerized that when she made him sit in front of the table he seemed more surprised than when she showed him the location for dinner. The table had a small chandelier in the middle with small candles lit but what really caught Adam's attention was that the dinner was already there and covered by silver cutlery. However, Adam could smell the delicious scent of the meal that he could suspect Blake chose specifically for him.

When she sat in front of him, Taurus spoke, not believing his own eyes after everything. "This is perfect, Blake."

"I know." She replied with a smile. "Tonight nobody will interrupt us, I made sure of it." Belladonna explained, remembering that Ilia helped her with the organization and locked the other entrances to the rooftop. They two had been spotted in the rooftop sometimes during a romantic meeting and tonight she wanted everything to go as she planned.

"I'm glad to hear that." He said, caressing her naked legs under the table with his shoe.

"You really are insatiable, aren't you?" She laughed, pulling her own legs backward to tease the bull faunus.

"Of course, only when it's about you." He flirted, following her game. "But I wouldn't mind starting eating what you've prepared. Care to show me tonight's menu?" The delicious smell had been getting in his lungs and his stomach growled loud enough for her to sense it with her faunus hearing.

The cat faunus stood up and showed all the dishes for them one by one: The first one was a salad with cheese, edible flower petals, and caramelized tomato, the second dish consisted of roasted chicken with spicy sauce and for last, as deserts, they had natural yogurt with red sweet syrup of the trees that grew in that same forest. Taurus could recognize the dishes, very similar to his favorite meals from his favorite restaurant in the city. However, these ones had different touched that only by looking and smelling he could tell the result would be as delicious as the ones cooked in the restaurant.

Blake covered the other two dishes and left the salad uncovered in the middle of the table for them to share it. "What do you think?" She asked, picking a cube of cheese with the fork from the salad.

"You made this?" He asked, surprised when he tasted the caramelized tomato and lettuce. The tomato melted in his mouth and the lettuce was fresh, well-cleaned, with the exact point of salt needed. "I can't believe it."

"I had to make a few calls and ask for some help, but I have achieved to impress you, right?" When Taurus nodded, Blake blushed and smiled, really happy. She could notice how much he enjoyed her cooking as they finished very quickly the large dish of salad.

"You never deceive me, Blake." He praised her when they tasted the second dish. The sauce was spicy enough to make the chicken interesting and not burn their tongues due to the chilly. "Now I understand why you've been so busy with the secrecy."

"You've seen nothing yet." She let go, as if nothing, awakening Adam's curiosity. "What do you mean with that?" He asked back. "You'll have to wait and see it for yourself when the time comes." Her smiled told him that it would be surely something he would like. Maybe new lingerie?

The dinner was finished more quickly than Belladonna had planned. In fact, they both were quite hungry after the afternoon in bed together and they hadn't eaten anything since midday. She finished her deserts and watched how Adam enjoyed the flavor of the red trees syrup mixed with the yogurt. He usually didn't like sweet things to eat but she guessed that knowing she had cooked for him made him like even more the deserts. When Taurus finished with them, he left the bowl aside and held Blake's hand whose arm was extended across the table.

"You are the best." He told her. "I've never liked my birthday but this year I enjoyed it."

"The best is yet to come." Belladonna sentenced, smiling not in a very innocent way which made Taurus think dirty.

"Do you want to play?" He asked, bringing her hand to his mouth to lick her knuckles in a sensual way.

"I wasn't talking about that… for now." She said, slipping her hand way, interrupting the kiss. "I meant your birthday present, a surprise."

"You didn't have to buy me anything." Taurus said as she got up and walked towards the entrance of the rooftop. Blake opened the door and searched for something in one of the shelves inside. She returned outside with a very big cage with a bright red envelope. "It's not exactly something I've bought." She explained, giving him the cage to reveal its content. "Come on, open it." She encouraged him.

Adam received his rightful present for his birthday from his girlfriend. It was something she made with her hands, he could guess by her last sentence. He preferred it that way, they needed all the money they could earn to carry on with the White Fang. He opened the red box and revealed a bunch of papers inside, put there in purpose to fill the void of the large box. Taurus gave Blake a weird glance and she motioned for him to continue. He took all the paper out of the box to reach the bottom and discover its content. A gold thick frame was holding inside one of the most precious moments of his life.

"Blake…" He gasped when discovered his true gift, a gesture really strange on him. "This photograph…"

Adam held up the big photograph with its frame to appreciate the details. The portrait showed the high-rank members of the White Fang, among them Adam and Blake, with their brothers and sisters in the faction. This photo had been taken a few weeks ago after returning from one big rally that all the branches of the White Fang aided. That represented much more than just work for Taurus: it was his family, his reason to continue fighting, a sign of his strength as a leader. Belladonna didn't just pick that photograph randomly, she had a concrete intention and purpose. However, after struggling to decide which gift she would make to her boyfriend, she also had to search through the archives to find an appropriate image since Adam wasn't a big fan of photography, selfies, and all this stuff. Blake had hesitated between picking this actual image or another of him taken by the press in the middle of a speech he made in Vale. She finally decided to put the frame on that photo to do another detail for him since he didn't like the others to know it was his birthday.

"You have an empty spot on your office and I thought this could fill the wall properly." Blake explained. "But that's not all, turn it around."

Taurus swallowed saliva down his throat and inhaled sharply before doing what the cat faunus told him. In the back of the golden frame there was a space that was supposed to be empty to not make the photography fall. However, that piece of wood to sustain the image had been decorated with ink. It was filled with small messages of his most appreciated colleagues wishing him a happy birthday and to give Blake lots of love after the great effort she was doing for standing his bad temper. That made the bull faunus smile sincerely as he read the other messages written in the back. Belladonna had made sure that all the people he didn't despise could leave a message for him written, even Sienna, who was in Mistral leading the whole organization.

"If you want to keep your feelings aside just hang the photograph but you'll have a reminder of all the people that appreciate you on its back." Blake added.

"So…" Adam started, not sure how to continue nor react after that special present. "Everybody knew it was my birthday but nobody said nothing to not make me upset?" He guessed after thinking about those messages.

"Yes, I asked them to pretend as if nothing happened today." Belladonna confessed. "I hope that you don't mind, since every year you are not in the mood for congratulations and wishes..."

"I really appreciate it, my love." That kind of discretion was all Adam wanted to have as a leader and not with his birthday, also with his relationship with Blake, his personal business and other matters. But being a leader meant being known by everybody and sometimes rumors were spread across the hideout. Blake had done a great job by keeping everybody's mouth shut. He hadn't suspected a thing. "But there is one more thing I'd like to do."

Blake's cat ears perked up when she heard his words coming out from his mouth. That morning he had woken up not wanting to even breathe and now he was getting all excited for all the surprises she had prepared for him. Nevertheless, Blake was happy to be asked things from him, he was rarely open about his wishes and feelings and now that he was in a good mood she wanted to enjoy it as much as she could. She would do whatever to please him and make this first birthday beside her the best he had in his life. However, she suspected that what Taurus would ask her would be something minimal.

"Am I allowed to blow my birthday candles again?" He asked with a certain shyness. These kind of stupidities were what he always hated. "I feel like I must have thrown away my birthday wish earlier."

Blake instantly glanced over the table to just find the dishes empty and the food eaten. He had planned the candles and pancakes or the morning and not in the afternoon. She blamed herself because maybe she should have done it for dinner instead of waking him up with that surprise.

"The problem is that I had thrown away the candles…" The cat faunus admitted ashamed.

"Darling, how can you say that? We are surrounded by candles." He almost chuckled, seeing how worried she was for just silliness. "Just bring me one."

The cat faunus nodded and turned around to look. The first candle she had in hand were the ones on the chandelier of the table. She glanced at Adam to receive his approval and she brought the chandelier to him. He curled his arm around her waist and made her sit on his lap while he stared at the burning fire on the candles and thought of a wish.

"Come on, think of a wish." Belladonna said, caressing his reddish hair. "But don't say it out loud or it won't become true."

The bull faunus smirked and breathed in, thinking of his wish before blowing off the fire:

" _I wish I could spend every birthday from now on by your side, Blake."_

* * *

Blake's birthday drabble will be a lot different, of course, being in another context and having other issues. I won't spoil anything, first I have to decide how I will develop the main problem in that story.

Answers to the reviews:

 **Guests (all 4 of you):** Thank you for voting option #2 but next time I'd appreciate having some name to at least recognize and distinguish each of you to reply the reviews if it is possible.

 **DreamHunter16:** Adam Xiao Long (AU) coming next week. Thank you for voting!

 **Angel'sMeraki:** The option you've voted, Strip Poker, luckily will have a second part that will be connected to it. I'll just say there will be a lot of dirty games... I'll post Strip Poker in two weeks so stay tuned.

 **The Wizardrous Magicman:** Happy birthday to you too! I also got a lot of videogames, they gifted me the three PS4 Lara Croft reboot games and a lot of clothes, jewelry and one book here and another there. Thank you for voting!

 **Princess-Sera:** As for Tainted Love part II in the original idea I had a different version of the Black Trailer ith a fight for Blake's freedom but I decided to follow the canon and not make a comfrontation because Blake thought she was too weak to actually win and to make her run from her problems instead of facing them, something she learned now in V6. Next weeks I will post option three and one, there will be a lot of variety in those drabbles, they were three options very different from each other. I hope you enjoyed this one as well. Thank you a lot for everything.

 **merendinoemiliano:** I'm glad to read that response to my doubts. Hopefully, I won't have to change much, what I have to finish is Adam's backstory in the AU and one scene with the Rose and the Xiao Long family all together in Patch. I think I¡ll have to add an extra scene to show a sign of the issues Adam has with the Schnee dust company but I'll see how I manage it. At least the Tauradonna arc in the AU I have it already settled.

As for the next drabble, Adam Xiao Long AU will be next as it was the second more voted in the poll. Prepare yourself merendinoemiliano (it was his request). Read you next week!

Frozenheart7


	33. Adam Xiao Long

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Adam Xiao Long

 **Rating:** T (for mentions of blood)

 **Summary:** [Request] Alternate Universe where Adam is Yang's overprotective adoptive brother, they both study at Beacon, Raven and Tai are together and Summer and Qrow are also married. So this AU merendinoemiliano requested had to cover a lot of things, these are the more relevant:

Adam's issues with the Schnees and as a consequence also with Weiss, his sister's teammate.

The Tauradonna arc that made this drabble belong here.

Team STRQ, the Rose family and the Xiao Long family along with their relationships.

Adam's past and how he was found and adopted by Raven and Tai.

I hope you enjoy it and that merendinoemiliano is satisfied with the way his request turned out.

Happy birthday merendinoemiliano, enjoy it!

* * *

Beacon was full of life, especially at the beginning of the first semester. First years students filled the hallways and all the corners of the academy. Their enthusiasm for a new year full of Grimm hunting and phantasy stories from a teacher with more mustache than meat was enough to motivate all kind of students, from novice ones to the most experienced. That vitality that filled Beacon could be noticeable in the gigantic collective dining room, with thousands and thousands of tables full of hungry students.

Team RWBY, the most promising from their year, tried to find a space in the dining room to sit and eat. They had to be careful to not trip, let go of their food and cause a disaster, especially not on their first week. The freshmen zone was at the bottom of the room so the team had to go through it, dragging attention from the seniors who found adorable the new students' behavior.

"Over there! I see a free spot!" Ruby yelled energetically.

She was dying to use her semblance to reach for the place sooner but now that she was the leader of the team she couldn't be selfish and leave her teammates behind. Besides, she surely would earn a disappointing glance from the Schnee heiress and she needed to earn her respect and not deceive her team. Finally, team RWBY reached the table with the free spots. One side was free for them to sit and the other was occupied by the members of the team that Cardin Winchester led. Before Ruby could put her but on the wooden bank, Weiss, the most cautious of the team, placed her hand over her shoulder to stop her.

"Are you out of your mind?! Sitting there is going to bring us serious problems." Weiss scolded Ruby with her usual authoritarian tone.

"Everybody wants to sit with you, Ice Queen. What's the problem? Would you rather eat on the floor?" Ruby mocked in response, stealing discreet giggles from Blake and Yang while observing Weiss' face.

Their cold discussion also dragged team CRDL's attention to them and soon they figured out that the two huntresses were having an argument over if they should sit with them or not. Cardin told his teammates to calm down and got up to deal with the situation as a good leader would do.

"Don't fight, ladies. We have a place for all of you." Cardin sentenced, opening his arms towards the empty seats, inviting team RWBY to join them.

Team RWBY members agreed in accepting the invitation to seat with Cardin and his friends. The huntresses finally sat and could look with detail at the food they served them. There were mashed potatoes and something similar to beans that didn't seem edible. The other dish, pasta with cheese and tomato, seemed to compensate for the vegetable disaster. Yang was the first one to try the mashed potatoes when all the others started with the pasta, discarding the vegetables definitely without even trying them first.

"Well, I expected them to taste worse!" Yang optimistically commented. "My parents are not good cooks." She explained, referring to Raven and Tai. "This is heaven compared to my mother's cooking skills." Especially Raven was the worst of them.

The good review about the white mass, also called mashed potatoes, encouraged Ruby to also taste them and giving a chance to Beacon's cooks. She couldn't keep the white mass in her mouth as it was the most awful thing she had tasted in her laugh. Rose spat the mashed potatoes back into the bowl and gavit it to Yang with a disgusting expression. Yang and Blake laughed at her reaction, even Weiss discreetly smirked.

"How is this even legal?!" Ruby exclaimed, indigned for the food they fed them.

"You consider it disgusting because you're spoiled by Summer's cooking skills." Yang teased, sticking out her tongue to Ruby. Both knew Ruby's mother was the best cook in the world despite her job as a huntress.

"What about Qrow's? Except on weekends, he is the one that has to cook."

"Aren't you two sisters?" Weiss suddenly asked, interrupting the familiar argument.

"Well, almost." Ruby said, creating more doubts on her teammate's minds.

"Then who is whose parent?" Blake asked, curious.

"It's complicated…" Yang started, willing to start explaining her family tree, but the whimpers of another student caught team RWBY's attention.

"Are these even real?" Cardin laughed, pulling a faunus student's bunny ears.

Ruby recognized the student being bullied by team CRDL: It was Velvet, a bunny faunus, from team CFVY. Weiss just turned her head to not see the scene and ignore the racist and violent actions, not caring about the behavior towards faunus. Blake, instead, tightened her fists with anger while staring at how they were pulling Velvet's faunus traits. Yang growled and told one of Cardin's boys to stop, but they didn't even listen to her. The elder sister saw how affected Belladonna was while witnessing the faunus abuse and caressed her closed fist to calm the brunette down.

"Stop it, please!" Velvet, the bunny faunus, begged. "It hurts!" She whimpered, trying to get her bunny ears free from Cardin's rough grip.

Then, suddenly, a dark red figure made the students in the benches to retrocede and leave enough space for him to pass. He was a senior student with dark horns, a white mask over his face and red burning hair. His presence could intimidate even the bravest of the professional huntsmen. Velvet's eyes stopped watering, changing the upcoming tears to sparkles of hope when she saw his silhouette approaching at her cries of help.

Cardin felt a strong hand gripping on his shoulder. Instinctively, his hand let go of Velvet's faunus traits and while she ran away from him and his team, turned to face a furious bull faunus and his fist up in the air.

"Adam!" Ruby yelled, seeing his intentions as he tightened the grip on Cardin's neck.

"He's Beacon's samurai…" The people kept whispering about him. "Adam Xiao Long…" The attention was now all over them, expecting a fiery fight.

Adam stared from his height at the clearly inferior Cardin Winchester. The bull faunus' hidden eyes ended intimidating the bully whose fingers were trembling with his hands up in the air, showing no resistance. The bull faunus finally decided to push Cardin backward, making him fall to the floor. He retroceded and crawled to get up, gaining some distance from the faunus warrior. Winchester knew he had been humiliated and it would go worse for him if he tried to fight back or defy the elder Xiao Long.

"Let's go, guys." Cardin sentenced as his team, without questioning him, also left with the tremble still on their fingers.

The silence created by the tension of the moment slowly faded away and the cheerful conversations of Beacon's students began again.

"Adam Xiao Long?" Weiss exclaimed, not expecting nothing like that happening. "I thought you and Ruby were just sisters!" The Schnee Dust Company heiress said to Yang, perplexed because Adam was a faunus and his sisters were 'normal', as she thought.

"Half-sisters." Ruby corrected.

The bull faunus patted his younger sister's head with care, making Ruby behave like a dog who loved to be petted. Weiss rolled her eyes and furrowed her brows in disgust as Adam stood around them, his bull horns on top of his head. Belladonna noticed Schnee's annoyance and Adam also noticing it, but faking as if nothing happened to not put his sisters in trouble.

"You can't just stay away from problems, not even in your first day, don't you?" Taurus for the first time spoke to his adoptive sister.

"You can't deny that bully deserved a punch!" Yang replied, deceived because none of that happened. "You should have taught him some respect to your species." She continued.

Weiss and Blake, clearly out of the loop, kept staring at the bull faunus, who joined his sisters and sat down in the bench with them. Schnee stared at Blake, expecting her to speak and say something to break the awkwardness, but found her hypnotized by Yang's strong brother. Done with not understanding anything, the heiress stood up and pointed at Adam.

"But who exactly are you?" Weiss asked, her fingertip almost touching Adam's nose, whose expression turned very serious, showing that he was not comfortable with the heiress' attitude.

"That's even more complicated." Yang replied.

* * *

Team RWBY quickly got used to the sudden intrusions coming from Adam to mocke his adoptive sister, Yang. The afternoon after their encounter, Ruby told the rest of the team that Raven and Tai, Yang's parents, had found Adam in a destroyed mine, hurt and defenseless. Adam didn't remember any of those things as he was very young, but still older than Yang. He was her overprotective brother, Beacon's samurai, one of the best students that had stepped the huntsmen Academy. He was on his senior year and his future was promising. He always succeeded in his solo missions and individual training, not needing anyone to rely on, being used to watch his own back and taking care of all the details. He was admired by so many students and feared by some others. Yang confessed she would love to be as great as him and have his same fighting skills. She kept assuring that Adam had the blood of a warrior because despite having grown up by the same parents and going to the same schools, he was always better.

The weeks as students at Beacon passed by quickly. Team RWBY had been growing closer and learning to fight as a team. The first semester was a good start and all of the members received their grades, higher than the average. There was a one-week holiday before the new semester started and each one of the members of Team RWBY had to return home as Beacon would remain closed.

A lonely Blake waited for the next airship to arrive at Beacon's courtyard. Before her there was the sight of Vale's city. She had a lot of options to stay during that week. The mere trip back to Menagerie lasted itself a week so she had to make due and search for some hotel to spend the holiday. Being away from her parents was hard but Belladonna knew that a little time for herself would make that sadness go away. She was training to be a huntress, protect the innocent and make the world better, it was her dream and it didn't matter if it cost being away from her family and homeland.

"Where will you stay?" Adam startled Blake, making her jump, scared because of his sudden intrusion. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" He apologized, wanting to cause a good impression on the cat faunus.

"It's okay, I'm alright." She said, hiding her gloomy expression, but it was too late, he already knew she had no place to stay. After all, he was still a faunus despite growing up in a human family. "I will search for a cheap hotel where the owner accepts faunus…If that place exists."

"You don't know the city." Adam guessed, admiring that amber special color on Blake's eyes. "If I stayed I would show you the city but I have to return with Yang and Ruby to Patch." He explained.

"You owe me nothing, don't excuse yourself." Blake smiled unconsciously, feeling special for having Adam's attention. "I'll find someplace to stay." She said, eyes locked with his white mask, making her wonder what was under it.

"No, I think I have a solution for you." The bull faunus continued. "Have you ever been in Vale's library?"

"I love that library, but as much as I enjoy spending time here I don't think it is a good idea to sleep there." Blake tried to joke and seem friendly. It made Adam smile, causing some blush in her cheeks.

"Beside the library, there is a good Inn with rooms upstairs. The owner is my friend, tell him you know me and he'll make you a special price." His cocky attitude that he only used in combat and the battlefield showed up. He noticed how Blake stared at him but she couldn't notice that his glance corresponded hers due to his mask.

"How are you so… popular?!" Blake asked, amazed.

"Because he does everything better than anyone." Yang suddenly interrupted the faunus couple. "And that makes him unbearable!" She mocked, sticking out her tongue to Adam.

The siblings started arguing in a playful way, a soft hit here and some pecks there, like every child do sometimes to play. Despite those arguments and trying to see who was better, the cat faunus noticed how protective of Yang Adam was. Even with Ruby, he acted like a guardian around them. He even cared about Blake, or she liked to think so… Seeing such strong and united family reminded Belladonna of the distance from Vale to Menagerie, wishing she could make a quick trip to the faunus kingdom to at least see her family again.

"The ship is already here. Hurry up or we will miss our trip to the island!" Ruby yelled from the distance, seeing a ship arriving at the docks and cheerfully running towards the cliff to contemplate the marine landscape of the city's shores.

"Maybe next time you can come with us to Patch." Adam proposed, ignoring his sister's insistence with leaving.

"Yeah, I could kick Adam out of our bedroom and we could sleep together." Yang intervened again in the conversation, not wanting to be left out, that sentence being more than a friendly joke. However, her brother didn't seem to care and Belladonna was just listening to him, eyes locked together, not minding about Yang being there as well. She could feel her characteristic fire burning inside and left the faunus alone because she feared her eyes would turn red at the situation.

"Well, then." Blake giggled, trying to hide her blush. "Maybe next time, Adam."

* * *

The only thing they had to do once they arrived at Patch was follow the smoke from Tai's barbecue, a familiar tradition. Patch was a small island, not many people lived there and the life quality was high so there weren't creatures of Grimm around. The island only had the town's hall, a small hospital, the school, an ancient library and a few neighborhoods where the people that worked and lived there stayed. In fact, their parents were the only Huntsman and Huntresses around and their service weren't needed very often so they lived a calm life and continued receiving money for being the protectors of the domain that involved the whole island and its shores. Raven and Tai tried to convince Adam to stay and do the same job, being a new huntsman that would eventually take Qrow's place since he was a teacher at the school too. However, Adam never wanted to accept his adoptive parent's petition, knowing that he wanted to explore the world, travel and be a hero, change things for good, aid his species somehow by giving a good image.

"I can smell the meat from here." Ruby cheerfully commented, being the backpack she carried bigger than her. She loved the barbecues Tai made once the holidays started and the two families could be reunited again. "How delicious."

Usually, Yang would tease Ruby during their way home, telling her she was drooling like Zwei, her dog. Nevertheless, Yang remained silent, very serious, something unusual on her. The bull faunus could suspect the reason why she behaved so discreetly, being away on her thoughts and consumed by the anger that she used to hid until somebody made her explode.

"Zwei!" The Rose daughter yelled so suddenly that it scared both Adam and Yang, who had been walking silently for the last five minutes. No word spoken. The small corgi Ruby owned ran towards them and greeted the students by running in circles around them to finally jump into Ruby's arms and drool out of happiness. "You're very fat, buddy!" The younger huntress giggled, jumping and running towards their houses, being very near.

"Wait." Yang finally spoke, taking advantage of their solitude now that Ruby was gone and couldn't listen to their conversation. "There's something that bothers me." The blonde explained, crossing her arms over her chest, the ambience was suddenly very tense as Adam turned to face her and hear her out.

"It's about Blake, isn't it?" The bull faunus asked, already knowing the answer. He had seen how well his sister and the cat faunus understood each other.

"Stop stealing my best friend." Xiao Long sentenced, seeing how the bull faunus body language was surprised at her petition. Yang never showed his most overprotective side until she cared very deeply for somebody and Adam suspected that Blake wasn't just a common friend and teammate.

"Are you sure she is just your best friend?" He asked and paused to think twice before continuing. "Or do you feel something for her?" That last part triggered Yang, almost activating her semblance due to the anger. So he had noticed that she was in love with Belladonna.

"I should ask you the same thing: Do you?" The blonde huntress refused to give a clear answer before knowing Adam's intentions first, guessing that he would win if they had to argue over Blake.

"I asked first." The bull faunus insisted, pushing and pushing Yang's mind so she could tell him.

The blonde huntress sighed and released her arms, relaxing them and returning to both sides of her body. She gave one last angry look at her adoptive brother and then stared to the direction Ruy left, the path that led them home. Adam stood frozen, wanting to hear an answer from his human sister but that never came and instead, she shook her head and continued walking.

"Nevermind. Let's go." Yang sentenced, restarting the pace.

The Xiao Long siblings arrived at the neighbourhood where some residences were safely protected in an area with streets, benches, parks, shops and some buildings. However, their house was in the bottom of the island, on top of an unnoticeable hill that made it easy for the huntsmen and huntresses to watch over the population in Patch. The path that led way up offered beautiful sights during its journey but those were ruined by Yang's mood, that kept the bull faunus worried by her behavior.

Nevertheless, when the Xiao Long siblings arrived home things went as he expected. Yang would usually be glad to return home and spend the day doing the familiar barbecue on the shared enormous garden the two families shared up in the hill. After the barbecue, it was another tradition to spar with Tai being the one telling the rules and Adam would enjoy teasing her impulsive little sister who used to rely all of her strength on her aura. However, the way how Yang greeted the rest of the family and quickly went inside made Adam fear this time it would be different. Yang was really pissed and everybody noticed. Even Ruby who had stolen a steak from the barbecue stopped playing with her hungry corgi when Yang closed the door of the Xiao Long house behind her with a loud sound.

"Whoa." Qrow was the first one to speak. "Teenager hormones." and he patted Tai's back as he was surprised too for his daughter's attitude.

"I think she is angry at me." Adam dared to intervene and tell the two parents.

"Why?" Qrow asked, holding a beer and giving a big slurp. "We argued over a woman." He chuckled at Adam and lent him the beer, patting twice his chest for comfort as he did with Tai. "Been there, pal." He muttered.

"Have you tried to talk to her?" Tai asked, leaving aside the hamburgers for a moment, Ruby taking advantage of it and stealing one for Zwei who barked impatiently around the garden.

"Leave her some time alone." Suddenly Summer advised, who was stealing another beer from her husband's hands. "I won't tolerate another hangover in my house, Qrow." Summer tried to be serious for her husband to respect her rules but he just chuckled and held closer to her.

"Won't you hold my cape while vomiting?" Qrow mocked, being their red capes an element in common in the Rose family.

"No!" Summer replied, faking she was angry, nobody believing it. "Ruby, come help me get him back home!" She called her daughter and she came to aid immediately while Zwei buried the steak and the hamburger behind a tree. "Now you'll sleep until you're not drunk anymore." The mother continued, scolding her husband while bringing him back inside their home.

Father and son were left alone. Adam tasted Qrow's beer and lent it to Tai, who didn't drink and left the almost empty bottle on the table. The bull faunus sat down on one of the chairs, away from the smoke that brought him childhood memories from that day he had been found by his now adoptive parents:

 _The whole mine had exploded due to a chain reaction. That happened often in dust miness where the workers didn't have any special formation to handle the explosive crystals. That made mining a very hard and dangerous job who nobody wanted. That forced the Schnee Dust Company to hire faunus workers in poor conditions and for a very low salary, people who nobody wanted on their business and was unemployed. And due to that low salary the whole family had to go and work in mines to survive and have something warm to eat._

 _Team STRQ was sent to help local huntsman, huntresses and rescue services found survivors. There were airships transporting victims and corpses, a lot of hurt faunus agonizing and waiting for the doctors to attend them. However, there was too much job for just the people that offered to help and the faunus victims were incrementing with each minute that passed._

" _We have to do something, Qrow." Summer said to her lover, who was perplexed by the misery and the conditions of the mines, staring at the wounded faunus on the floor, with blankets protecting them from the coldness of the night. There was people trying to heal them all but more personnel was needed and Team STRQ wasn't qualified in medicine and could do nothing in that aspect._

" _Send more dogs to find for survivors under the rocks!" A policeman begged to the commander of the rescue mission._

" _But sending more of them will last another day, we don't have that much time." The commander complained, troubled by all the decisions that had to be made at that instant._

" _I have an idea, Summer." Qrow suddenly said, catching the commander's conversation with one of his subordinates. The huntress kept an eye on her boyfriend as he approached them with a proposal in mind. "How about birds instead of dogs?" The youngest of the Branwen twins asked._

" _Those would have to be very intelligent birds." The commander almost mocked, amused by Qrow's idea._

" _Oh, they sure are." Raven suddenly interrupted, appearing from nowhere due to her compenetration with her twin brother. "Leave it to us, commander. Trust in Team STRQ."_

 _Summer and Tai Yang also had to help the Branwen twins to convince the commander to let themselves search under the rocks without giving a clear explanation from where the birds would come from. Raven and Qrow disappeared while Tai and Summer helped the rescue team fins another alternatives to continue their search under the rocks without putting their own lifes at risk, security being their first priority. The twins transformed into a Qrow and a Raven and entered through a small slit that allowed their feathery bodies to explore the underground freely._

 _Raven continued flying between the rocks she could fit into, her younger brother leaving to search through the other side of the mines. She could smell the explosive dust and breathe the toxic air, knowing that this small tour to try and find survivors would have to be brief or otherwise her health could be severely damaged. Her red eyes suddenly met a small hand trapped between two rocks, a kid whose heartbeat could be heard from the other side. Raven used her beak to pinch the hand's kind and in response she heard a small whimper. the kid was alive._

 _Raven returned outside, flying as straight as she could from the place she had seen the kid. As soon as she got out of the mines, she transformed into her normal human form and called the rescuers to excave that area because she had seen a child under the rocks. The rescue team didn't question the huntresses judgement and got to work while she decided to exit the collapsed mine zone to breathe fresh air and compensate the minutes underground that made her feel dizzy._

" _Rae!" She heard Tai call her by the pet name he had given her, something sweet but that she had told him to not use in public. However, everybody was minding other more important things and Raven was too tired to scorn her partner. "I'm fine." She assured to her worried boyfriend. "Just catching my breath."_

 _A few moments later, the youngest of the Branwen also returned from the underground and transformed between the trees of the forest surrounding the area, being more discreet than his sister. His search had went different from his elder sister and the sight of so much blood and flesh trapped under the rocks had left him shocked._

" _Only corpses." Qrow muttered to the couple, shaking his head from side to side, his sight low because of the sadness of the tragedy._

" _We've found him!" Suddenly one of the rescuers yelled and Raven could see how they took out a little kid from the zone she had explored on her bird form._

 _Tai Yang and Raven approached the kid to check if he was still alive. The rescue team brought him to one of the tents they brought the wounded. The faunus parents who still hadn't found their children after the explosion looked at the recently-found kid but nobody recognized him as their son._

" _His parents must be dead." Tai Yang reflected about the little faunus now laying on the dusty mattress._

 _Raven kneeled before the bed and held the little bull faunus' hand that she had pinched earlier to find out if he was alive. He had two small black bull horns on his head and spiky red hair, very intense. However, what was distinctive on him was his face: he had his left eye branded with the Schnee Dust Company logo, leaving his skin very damaged due to that burn. When the little faunus felt the warmth of Raven's hand, he woke up, as if it had been a miracle. His blue eye met the red of Raven's and he tried to focus and recognise the woman who was beside him._

" _Mother?" He tried to pronounce but immediately coughed due to the inhalation of the toxic gas of the mine after it collapsed. When a nurse heard the child coughing, they put him an oxygen mask that helped him stabilize his breath. However, after resting for the intense coughing, the small bull faunus returned to the unconsciousness so his body could rest properly._

 _Tai Yang and Raven stared at each other for a few seconds and then looker around, more concretely at the zone where the orphan kids were being taken care of to later send them to the orphanage. Nobody adopted faunus children and everybody knew it. The little bull faunus will have the same fate as those other orphan little workers and would never have a family again. Despite not being very sentimental, Raven knew how it felt to not have a decent family. She nodded at Tai Yang, who had been staring at the social assistant. He had been making a lot of calls and search for an orphanage that accepted faunus and his face told the couple that he didn't have any luck._

 _So, the huntsman approached the defeated social assistant and asked him a simple question:_

" _What do we have to do to keep him?"_

* * *

The vague images of that day Adam had seen Raven for the first time had been wondering around his head all midday. Raven and Tai Yang hadn't had a child yet when they decided to adopt him. After a few years, he became Yang's eldest adoptive brother and since then he hadn't left her side, trying to protect her from the evil world that had taken so much from him. But his sister had grown and she wasn't a defenseless kid anymore, now taking her own choices and her teenage feelings getting on the way.

The bull faunus watched her sister from the window. Yang was outside, sparring alone, hitting a punching bag hanging from a tree on their left side of the garden, the one not shared with the Rose family. She used to train with him, Adam being able to teach her defensive techniques that the most advanced students at Beacon were being taught, helping her combat skills even after she passed the initial exam to enter the Huntsman academy. Seeing the blonde huntress outside and alone gave Adam some nostalgia as when he entered Beacon three years ago he heard several times through phone calls of his adoptive parents that Yang missed him a lot and spent the afternoon training outside and practicing everything he had taught her to get into Beacon too so they could study together in the same kingdom.

Adam sighed and went downstairs, ignoring their parents on the living room watching a movie on TV. He grabbed Wilt and Blush from the closet beside the entrance door and exited the house. He could smell his sister's effort while fighting from the main garden. She seemed to notice her brother's presence and sparred harder, punching the hanging bag with more fury than before. She was about to trigger her semblance in any moment.

"Where does that fury come from, little sister?" The bull faunus asked, leaning on one side of the tree, just a few centimetres away from the swinging punching bag.

"You already know it." Yang grunted and gave another punch, the leather of the bag almost hitting Adam's chest.

"Blake." Adam sentenced, answering his own question.

The punches stopped and Yang panted, the sweat dripping from her forehead. She leaned her hand on the same tree her brother was, watching the tiredness after the intense sparring. She felt his gloved hand on her shoulder, despite the sweat, he gave a gentle caress to help her stabilize her breath.

"You are much stronger now, Yang." Adam sentenced. "But you still have a lot to learn. One of those things being relationships: friends and lovers." He tried to make his sister understand, for a moment catching her attention but then she growled and gave another punch at the bag, sighing loud.

"Not if you get in my way, as always." She complained and Adam crossed his arms in a defensive position, ready to hear what his adoptive sister had to say. "Somehow you always appear and all of my friends think you're so cool and awesome…" She confessed, jealous of her brother's skills and charms.

"Look, Yang." Adam started, more serious than ever. "I always tried to help you whenever you had a problem: training, studying, with people…"

"I don't need your help. Team RWBY doesn't need your help, I'm fine on my own and I would appreciate less interaction, honestly." Yang spat, very angry, her eyes starting to change from violet to red.

The bull faunus stared down at the floor and nodded, very hurt because of Yang's words. The blonde huntress immediately regreted her choice of words once she saw her brother's facial expression. However, her pride and stubbornness didn't allow her to apologise for her tantrum.

"If that's what you want, I won't get in your way anymore." The elder of the Xiao Long siblings sentenced, leaving the garde, willing to go inside the house again and ask the gods to make these holidays as short as they could be.

"Wait… I- I…" But Yang was cut by the loud sound of the door closing, leaving her alone in the garden to continue unleashing her fury on the punching bag.

* * *

The second semester started very grey for the Xiao Long siblings. They had made separated ways and Adam didn't approach Team RWBY during lunch in the common yard. All of the members noticed and for that were feeling more awkwardly around Yang, not sure if ask about her adoptive brother or not. Only Weiss seemed to be more comfortable without the faunus around, of course, still not knowing that one of her teammates was also one of them. Nevertheless, there was another group of persons that was also glad to not have Beacon's Samurai around: Team CRDL.

Being finished their lunch, Yang made sure to have a great opportunity, this time not ruined, and asked the cat faunus to go out for a walk. Blake accepted her partner's invitation and they went outside the courtyard, alone, being the perfect chance for Yang to confess her feelings. However, the first thing Blake said when they got outside displeased the blonde huntress.

"Yang, is there something wrong with Adam?" Blake asked, perplexed because of the bull faunus' cold treatment these last days.

"Yes, there actually is." Yang confessed, sighing, tired of her brother being the center of everything and feeling guiltier than ever. He barely had spoken to her in their house during holidays and in Beacon he acted as if Team RWBY didn't exist, even with Blake. "I can explain everything to you later but first you have to hear something out." Xiao Long started, preparing the terve to enter the romantic topic.

"W-what is it?" Belladonna asked, fearing something grave was happening but deep down smelling what her best friend had in mind.

"I spoke with Adam. Because of you." Yang said, wanting to address the topic the right way, fearing that Blake could prefer Adam before her.

Blake was about to say something, but the chuckled of a group of young men distracted the two female partners. Cardin and his team were coming towards them, chuckling, with not good intentions at all. The had probably taken advantage of their loneliness now that their team was separated in two. Yang grabbed the cat faunus' hands and tried to drag her behind her to go somewhere else and avoid the bullies, but Blake froze once she heard a particular word.

"Don't run, filthy faunus." Cardin yelled, making Blake's heart race in panic. "Everybody knows who you are. What you are hiding under that childish bow..." He continued, this second part making Yang face the problem directly, standing beside her partner.

"Shut up!" Yang exploded, her hair set on fire and her eyes burning in red flames, her semblance already activated without any pain there yet, just pissed because of the barriers between her and Blake. "Get out of here and don't you dare to speak like that to Blake!" The blonde faunus threatened.

"Or what?" Cardin defied, his teammates taking out their weapons. An actual fight would be two on four, a very disadvantaged situation and even more with Yang disarmed, only her fists to defend and protect each other,

"It doesn't matter, Yang. Let it be." Belladonna pulled Yang's sleeve, trying to calm her anger and avoid a fight. "Let's just leave, please?"

"We've come here to learn to slay monsters and creeps. You'll have to convince us that you're none of those things, Belladonna." The bully continued as his team chuckled and encouraged him to continue mocking the faunus girl for her species.

Xiao Long let go of Blake and paced forward until her chest was a few centimeters away from Cardin's. Winchester smirked as she defied him with a threatening glance that could have scared everybody else, but the bully stood his ground, having his teammates as a backup in case Yang decided to throw a punch at him.

"Apologize and leave." Yang hissed, closing her first very tightly, her temper starting to take control of her actions.

"Make me." Cardin defied the blonde as well, getting a hold on his weapon.

"Yang, no!" Blake suddenly, yelled, being too late to stop the blonde.

Xiao Long tried to punch upwards Cardin's nose to break it, but the bully stopped her arm with his weapon, skin against metal. Yang grunted as she felt how her wrist's skin was cut by his weapon but that didn't make her lose strength, it only fueled more her semblance. She had won the battle if it hadn't been for the other three huntsmans that were with Cardin, defending him as their team leader. Blake threatened them by aiming at them with Gambol Shroud but none of them cared and went for Blake too, getting her involved in the fight.

"You'll regret messing with us." Yang said, trying to hit Cardin with the anger controlling her. That was her mistake as all the hits had been stopped by him. She needed to be smarter in order to punch him in the right moment and knock him off, but her anger and semblance didn't let Yang think straight.

The rest of Team CRDL kept themselves busy with Blake who mostly also used her semblance to run and dodge all the hits that could be possibly direct to her. However, they were three on one and her aura ran out faster than she expected, having abused the use of her semblance for a long time and leaving her vulnerable.

"Come here, animal." Russell spat, managing to get Blake on her knees, grabbing her arms behind her back to let the other find out if she really had ears behind her black bow.

"Blake!" Yang yelled, seeing her partner needing help. Cardin got advantage of the situation and managed to hit the blonde with his weapon, sending her flying until her body hit the floor and rolled over the grass, her semblance fading, leaving her vulnerable as well.

Winchester sighed and advanced towards the struggler faunus as his boys kept laughing at Belladonna's intents to escape. He reached for her bow, willing to share the truth with the whole academy.

"Let's see what you're hiding there." Cardin sentenced, pulling the edge of the ribbon to untie it.

What nobody knew was that a third allie for Blake and Yang had entered the field as soon as his faunus senses perceived Blake's scream earlier. Adam watched the scene from the distance and helped in the only way he could: throwing Wilt to the enemy. The sword impacted with Cardin's ribs, making him stumble upon the floor and cough several times. His teammates looked around, distracted and searching for the new opponent and Blake used that little time to escape and go beside Yang, who was just rubbing her eyes to see with clarity what just happened a second ago.

"Adam..." Yang exclaimed, surprised for his intervention.

The bull faunus paced towards Team CRDL, his mere presence threatening the four novice students. Each step echoed within the desert courtyard as all the others froze, Blake and Yang included. He was enraged and the four bullied were about to pay the consequences. Taurus retrieved back his sword from the floor, right were Cardin was kneeled, massaging his stomach to try and erase the pain. However, Adam's boot kicked him backward, making him sit on the grass. He towered over the bully as a sign of dominance and threateningly pointed at him with his red katana.

"Not so brave now?" Adam mocked as the other members of the Team CRDL faded out of the scene, escaping and leaving their leader alone to deal with Beacon's samurai's fury. "Do you know what is the difference between us?" Taurus asked, so peacefully that it managed to scare Cardin for no reason.

"You mean besides our species?" Winchester dared to pronounce, his mouth feeling dry and a few drops of sweat falling to the grass as the edge of the sword approached his neck.

"Your friends are as rotten as you." The bull faunus pointed out, comparing indirectly his bond with Yang and Blake with the one between Cardin and his team. "That makes you miserable enough."

Taurus' foot was pressed against Cardin's stomach when he tried to lean forward and stay in a less humiliating position. He grunted as the pressure of his boot increased, Adam not feeling any compassion against the bully that dared to hurt his adoptive sister and love interest.

"Adam…" Blake muttered, pulling the sleeve of his jacket like a child, her eyes pleading him some mercy for the bully. "Let him go, please. It's over." The cat faunus insisted, not wanting another fight and some teacher to spot them and expel both Adam and Cardin.

Yang's eyes opened in surprise as her adoptive brother actually listened to Blake and put his katana back in its sheath. He would usually beat the racist abusers until they bleed. Nevertheless, Belladonna had managed to calm his anger down. He was leaving his stubbornness aside only because she was asking for it.

Adam made Cardin get up by pulling the neck of his school's uniform. "If I ever find you being an asshole again…" The bull faunus threatened, winning another calming caress from Blake, who was uncomfortable by the possible violence of the situation.

Belladonna held Adam's tightened fist that was about to be risen to give Cardin a last threat. He immediately let go of the bully and faced the cat faunus to check if he was hurt. Winchester gave a last look to Yang, who was also still furious and had nobody to calm her down and hurried to recover the equilibrium and run away from them. Team CRDL would rarely return to its cocky attitude after such humiliation by the bull faunus. Xiao Long got up and walked beside where Blake and Adam were holding hands. She could read her best friend's feelings by the facial expression the cat faunus was making. Blake had made her choice, she had feelings for Taurus. Only then, Yang opened her eyes and realized that she had no right to be angry at her adoptive brother for corresponding to Blake's feelings.

"I'll go back to Ruby and Weiss to tell them we're alright." Yang said, giving a slight smile to her brother as a sign of her understanding the situation. "Why don't you go and have a walk to calm down?" The blonde huntress proposed, giving them space so Adam could court the cat faunus.

Adam smiled back at his sister and nodded, staring down at Blake to see that she agreed to spend some time alone for themselves. Yang backed down and let the two in love faunus leave together, still holding hands, headed wherever more romantic than the schoolyard. She had understood the lesson, Blake was the one to choose between her or Adam and she had always had him on her heart. Yang was the one who could never realize it because she had been too selfish to notice her friend's feelings for her adoptive brother.

* * *

Adam walked with Blake until they arrived at Beacon's cliff. They could observe the sundown and the city along with its shores. The sights were breathtaking and the two faunus decided to sit down and stare at the distance, their legs rubbing as they were very close. Their fingers were intertwined as their hands had been together since they had left the Huntsman academy's courtyard. Taurus felt Blake's head leaning on his shoulder as she relaxed and closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Adam." Belladonna sighed, her other hand tangled around his arm. "You don't know how much it means to have a faunus to protect our own species."

"I would never allow you to be hurt." He replied, lifting her chin so their eyes could met despite the mask on their way. "Wouldn't you do the same for the person you love?"

The cat faunus' fingers trembled as Adam leaned closer and caressed her cheek with his thumb. She felt the warmth of the blush rush over her body as her heart beat intensively. He was telling her that he loved her… She had never felt that before for somebody and she was excited to correspond to his feelings. Nevertheless, Taurus noticed that with an upcoming kiss the mask would get in their way so he made a risky decision that could change everything:

"I'll let you take my mask off." Adam decided, causing surprise on the cat faunus' face. "But only if you let me take your bow off." He said in exchange, wanting to find their hidden traits in order to know each other better.

"Deal." The cat faunus replied, very excited, getting on her knees to face straight the bull faunus.

His fingers slowly untied the black bow on top of her head, the difference brutal between the previous roughness of Cardin's movements and now Adam's care. She felt the wind caress the black fur of her faunus traits and the sensibility to the sounds of the exterior now that the cat ears were uncovered made her perk them up. Taurus caressed the fur of her cat ears with the needed sensibility and Blake leaned into the contact, relaxing as his hands pampered her.

"You are perfect this way, Blake." He praised her as she looked up at him and tilted her head to one side with a curious glance on his plastic mask. "Now it's your turn."

Belladonna's hesitating fingers traveled up to the edge of the plastic mask that hid the upper half of his face. She felt a trembling sigh getting out of Adam's mouth as she was about to discover his true factions. The cat faunus could guess there was something more than aesthetic in that mask. But what could be so horrible to be hidden under that mask?

"Careful." Taurus said, almost startling Blake because of the suddenness and roughness of his words. His hand caught her wrist before she could take it off. "I don't guarantee you that you'll like how my face looks like." It was a fair warning and he was giving her the last choice: discover the truth or keep his idealized image in her head and love him as well, never knowing who he really was.

Gold met the icy blue of Adam's iris. Belladonna knew the risks and retired the mask to meet his true form. She recognized immediately the initials branded on one of his eyes: Schnee Dust Company. Now everything made sense: he was an orphan rescued from a casualty on some of the slave's dust mines of the Schnee family and somehow he ended adopted by the Xiao Long family, becoming Yang's faunus brother, knowing it was impossible genetically.

He had let her discover his real looks and past, it was obvious that childhood as a slave. Belladonna also comprehended why Adam reacted so coldly to Weiss' interactions, rude comments that were so elegant that were almost unnoticeable. Words that hurt Blake as well without Weiss even knowing.

Adam could read that the cat faunus was processing a lot of info inside her head. At least he couldn't see hatred on her expression but pity for him and compassion. Adam didn't like to be pitied but it was better than being hated by his brand. He couldn't lie: the silence was killing him and he yearned for some affection from her. He didn't know where to start explaining: from the point that the mark was humiliating to the moment he decided to wear the mask.

The cat faunus dragged herself closer and kneeled to be at his height while sitting. She could feel his warm breath brushing her cheeks as she examined closely the brand. His eyebrow wasn't as visible than the other on his good eye. Blake could guess he was partially blind if not completely as a grey spot was where the black pupil should be. She snapped out when Adam lowered his sight, probably ashamed because of the intense staring. It was then when Blake realized she had to do something. Making sure the brand was old, she touched the burned skin near to his eye, almost brushing its surface with tremendous care.

"Why aren't you disgusted?" Adam asked, letting all the tension out with those words.

"You're handsome, Adam." She said, the slight blush on her cheeks showing that she felt what she was saying. "A scar won't make me stop feeling what I feel for you."

That last sentence brightened his face as he softly smiled, something so sincere that Blake swore she had never seen one smile like that before. He found the courage to tangle his arm on her waist and pull her towards him and she rested her hand on his chest for support. Their lips were dangerously close and Taurus leaned in to finally met hers. Blake allowed the kiss and held onto him as she savored the experience of being kissed for the first time. The same smile that was on her lips was projected on his as well, knowing that they had finally found a partner to love and cherish.

From the distance, Yang, Ruby, and Weiss stared at the far silhouettes of the faunus couple. Yang decided to tell Weiss Adam's origin and what he was hiding under his mask. The Schnee heiress felt guilty for the actions of her father, now knowing that the disobedient slaves were branded permanently with the company's logo.

"I had no idea…" Weiss muttered, deep down being glad that somebody like Adam had found a person that loved him despite his looks. Her father's company had ruined a lot of faunus' lives. "I shouldn't have been so rude to him… He should hate me."

"Make it up to him by treating the faunus better." Ruby advised, for a moment being serious and meaning well. Yang nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think that is the best you can do."

Back in the cliff, Blake and Adam broke their kiss and got some distance between them to catch their breath. The cat faunus caressed his lips with her thumb as she desired another longer tongue kiss. However, the bull faunus looked to one side, breaking the intimacy between them. The faunus couple saw the rest of Team RWBY standing next to Beacon's principal door and knew that their first romantic moment was over. The cat faunus pouted but Taurus held her hand to comfort her, knowing that from now on things would be very different between them. They got up and walked back to Beacon to reunite with Blake's teammates.

"I'll need to get used to it…" Belladonna shyly told him, implying that she had never been in a romantic relationship. "Are you fine with taking things slow?"

"Whatever you need, darling." He observed her blushing expression and guessed that she liked that pet name. "We can meet up tonight after curfew and have a walk, alone." Adam added, knowing that with his sisters around and with the cautious Weiss they wouldn't have much privacy to spend romantic moments together.

"That sounds ideal." Blake whispered as they arrived at Yang, Ruby, and Weiss, sealing the secret date between them.

Both Blake and Adam stared at Yang's expression knowing that she would die to be in her brother's place right now. However, Xiao Long understood how important it was to love and be loved in return, not forcing things or putting obstacles between two persons who love each other. She smiled at them as a sign of approval, she had never seen before her adoptive brother smile that much, he must felt really happy. She noticed he was about to apologize or say something comforting to her but Yang was faster and spoke before he could:

"Don't worry, brother, you deserve the best. Blake is the best who I know, so I'm ok with that."

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **emmaleewhittaker:** I'm glad you could catch up with the drabbles since the last time. Nice to hear from you, I'm very glad you liked the last stories despite being a darker lately. There is fluff on the way along with Adam's birthday, this one I guess can also be counted as fluffy Tauradonna. See you around!

 **Osheana259:** I need to close Heavy is the Crown as soon as possible, you are right. The epilogue is almost ready but with this drabble collection I never find proper time to get to work on it. That without mentioning the possible sequel, the small surprise that I teased last time. I need to get ready some things of the sequel, as I already have it started and some chapter written before I post the epilogue.

 **Sakura:** That would be an interesting version of the drabble, too. I have Blake's version too to be posted soon so there will be another birthday themed drabble to enjoy. Did you like this AU? It was an interesting request from merendinoemiliano. I've seen other AUs with Adam and Yang as siblings so, why not? Also, I love Qrow x Summer and Tai x Raven and as soon as he requested these pairings also involved in the drabble I didn't hesitate and accepted them.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Happy birthday! How I know it? Because of the author of What you Stole that congratulated you. Have a nice day and I hope you've enjoyed this petition. As you requested I tried to follow the canon events that made Adam who he was and I added all the topics that you requested and I hope it turned out as you expected, or better.

 **Angel'sMeraki:** Hello again! Hahahahahaha, this was also longer than expected. Thank you for all your reviews! Feel free to share requests and ideas for drabbles in the reviews.

 **Krystal501:** Thank you, dear. I really love reading this kind of reviews you leave as feedback. They cheer my day.

 **The Wizardrous Magicman:** That was an absolute wonderful list of ideas. I'll do an Adam's backstory drabble but I'll post it as a One-Shot outside this collection because there aren't a lot of Adam drabbles and I want to reach more readers. Besides, I wouldn't include a lot of Tauradonna in a flashback themed one-shot. I'll be giving info here, but writing this collection gives me a lot of work so I'll probably wait until summer before starting new projects. Thank you very much for the ideas! I'll use some of them if you don't mind.

 **Princess-Sera:** Thank you very much. Sometimes I think my ideas are weird but I'm glad to hear from someone that they're not. If you have any idea or request for a drabble, feel free to share it in the reviews and I may include or even do a whole drabble as I did with this one, that was merendinoemiliano's request.

Next drabble will be "Strip Poker", the less voted option, a comedy/hot drabble, and I'll upload it next weekend and I will do another new poll with variated options to vote.


	34. Strip Poker

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Strip Poker

 **Summary:** Boring Sunday afternoon: Ilia, Adam, and Blake sit and decide to play poker, but instead of betting money they will decide to make the game more interesting by betting his clothes. How will the end game?

 **Rating:** T+

 **A/N:** New poll at the end of the chapter. Vote in the reviews!

* * *

A boring Sunday afternoon forced the three best friends to think of a game that could distract them until supper time.

Taurus searched for any board games on the drawers at the living room, but most of them were old or too childish. Then he found a deck of cards.

"How about poker?" He proposed showing the cards to the two female faunus who were sitting on the sofa.

"But Ilia and I have no money to bet." Blake complained.

"That's not a problem. We can play strip poker instead." Taurus saw the girls' confused expressions. "You bet your clothes and have to take them off if you lose."

Ilia and Blake stared at each other, insecure to accept playing the game the bull faunus had proposed. It would be awkward and embarrassing but at the same time, the teenagers wanted to try new things and get risky. The chameleon and the cat faunus finally agreed.

"You can retire anytime on the game. There's no pressure." Adam explained.

Ilia was anxious to see any part of Blake's body naked. At the same time she was insecure about show her body and now more than she was wearing a one-piece black suit, being it her daily uniform of the White Fang. She made sure to close the doors of the living room so anyone could enter and catch them naked while playing cards.

Blake, by her hand, expected to achieve to see Taurus' sixpack or at least see his muscular arms without the coat. She had no experience in poker and Ilia neither so it would be hard for them to win despite being more a random game than strategic. She adjusted the light of the living room until it was darker, making it more comfortable for the close faunus friends that were sensitive at the light and could see perfectly in dark environments.

Adam mixed the deck of cards with a smirk dedicated to the cat faunus while staring at her. She blushed and he started dealing the cards for each player. He just proposed this game to provoke Blake and Ilia. But deeply, he wanted Belladonna to strip just for him. And he would make sure to win each round without making it too hard for them both.

"What will you bet?" Ilia asked.

Belladonna was going to answer, but the bull faunus anticipated her.

"Come on, Blake. Start with something better than your bow." Adam teased.

"My stockings" She said playing Adam's game.

"I'm going to bet my glove." Ilia sentenced.

"I'm betting my shoes." Adam finished.

Blake looked at her cards, she didn't have anything good, not even a double. She retired a spade and a diamond from her cards and exchanged them for two on the draw pile, filling her hand with the same bad luck, nothing worth the game. She would have to take her stockings off.

Amitola had better luck than her friend. She had three diamonds that could combine with a double of hearts. She showed proudly her hand to the two players. Taurus showed his hand. He only had a simple pair of spades.

Ilia won this round.

It was time for Blake to roll her stockings down and for Adam to take his shoes off.

"Beginners luck." Adam mocked Ilia, who stuck out her tongue as an answer.

Rounds passed by and the inexperienced from Ilia and Blake made them both lose. The number of clothes on the floor grew and grew as the girls had to take off their shoes, gloves, scarfs, and bows. Adam was still dressed, he only had lost his belt in a round that the cat faunus achieved to beat them both. But the disadvantage was clear and the final round was closer.

Ilia mixed the cards, making sure that the luck was on her side now. She couldn't understand why Adam was winning all the rounds if poker was more based on luck and not on strategy.

"I can only bet my white top." Blake said, now that she had given her black vest to Adam as a price for his excellent luck.

"Underwear is also accepted." Adam replied. Ilia gave him a threatening glance. "I'm just saying…" The bull faunus added.

Amitola stared at her best friend, she was blushing. She obviously liked Adam, but Ilia couldn't say the same. The chameleon faunus stared at herself, she only had her black bodysuit and underwear.

"I'll bet my red shirt." He said. It wasn't necessary as he had other things to bet that wouldn't reveal that much as his shirt. Ilia knew his intentions were expose himself in front of the cat faunus even though he should bet his coat first. Typical alpha male faunus behavior.

"And you, Ilia?" Blake asked. "What are you betting for this round?"

"I d-don't know." Amitola said, pink spots appearing on her chameleon skin at the only thought that if she continued Blake could see her in underwear. It was obvious that Adam would continue winning every round and she would have to undress completely. Maybe Belladonna would like her crush to see her naked, and by her glance Ilia could tell that she was dying to see Adam react to her figure, but Ilia wasn't like Blake and she wasn't willing to take off her bodysuit. "I think I'll retire."

As Blake and Taurus didn't have any objection about Ilia leaving, nobody complained. As Amitola collected her clothes from the floor, she could see the flirty glances between a half-naked Blake and her dominant mentor.

"Have fun, guys." Ilia said, passing the deck of cards to Adam for them two to continue playing.

When Blake heard the door closing behind Ilia, she playfully bit her lip. Taurus mixed quickly the deck and gave some cards to Blake and some for him, leaving the pile of the cards near to himself.

"Finally alone." Adam muttered as he smiled while looking at his cards. He had a stair, the numbers went from 1 to 5, it was a good game. Then he stared at Blake's expression, she wasn't being lucky, he could tell.

"Give me three cards in exchange for these." Blake asked him. Adam did as she asked but wished she continued losing. Her expression didn't change after receiving the new cards, she would lose and Blake knew it too. "What did you get?" She finally asked.

Taurus showed proudly his stair of numbers. Blake rubbed her forehead and then revealed that she had only collected a pair of hearts, nothing worthy.

"What a pity…" Adam mocked, internally victorious. "Pay me with that fancy top of yours."

It wasn't necessary, but Blake got up from the chair anyway. So, Adam could see better her underwear. The cat faunus slowly lifted her white top, showing her matching black lace underwear. The bull faunus couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable pressure inside his pants. Her curves seduced Adam's primal instincts as she paced forward to give him her top. He grasped the cloth between his fingers and smelled her scent on it. Now that Amitola had left, Adam wouldn't be holding back.

"And now, what will you bet first? Your bra or panties?" He asked once Blake was seaten again. If he hadn't done it then, she would have fainted for the daring question.

"This is so embarrassing." She didn't want to sound like a little girl but it was true. So humiliating...

"Then how about you bet your body and we put an end to this sexual tension?" Taurus spat out, as if what they were negotiating was something unimportant. "Or are you going to make me wait? Because you know I'll win each round." He added, seeking a reaction from the cat faunus.

"Then if you are so sure why are we even playing?" She replied, surprising Taurus for her sudden confidence. She got up from her seat and approached him, contouring her feminine curves. "You're assuring me I can't escape my defeat."

The bull faunus stood up and pressed Blake's body against his and the table. She tangled her arms around his neck as he lifted her so she could sit on the wood. Belladonna discreetly parted her legs so he could fit between her thighs and Adam knew that she was willing to give him her body.

"I always win, Belladonna. Just accept your destiny." He whispered to the ears on top of her head.

Blake gently pulled his chin forward so their lips could touch but she stopped just when theirs were about to meet. Adam tried to kiss her, her mouth just a few millimeters away. However, she kept pushing his shoulders backward so he couldn't. He tried to search for her explicit consent with a glance, but the cat faunus just gave him a playful smirk. Taurus was fully distracted with her behavior when Belladonna's hands descended from his shoulders to the end of the sleeves. It only took a soft pull to discover his secret.

"Oh..." Adam sighed when the cards he had hidden on his sleeves fell as the cat faunus continued pulling his coat.

Belladonna pushed him far, first with her hands on his chest and then with her feet. She stared proudly at the cards on the floor as Adam ashamed had to take off his coat and let the rest of the deck fall before her eyes. That was why he had won most of the times, only letting Blake and Ilia win once each. He had been manipulating the game.

"You owe me an explanation, Taurus." Blake mocked him, feeling smart. "and my clothes."

The bull faunus admitted his defeat and smiled back at the cat faunus. Blake wasn't just a pretty face but a very intelligent ally. It was convenient to have her on his side. Even Ilia hadn't noticed him cheating during the rounds. Blake nevertheless, had caught him well.

Adam had to give back all of Blake's clothes he had won thanks to cheating. The cat faunus, with no shame at all, put on her clothes in front of him. Somehow she was lecturing him and showing what he was losing for cheating. If he hadn't cheated things would have been different and in the case Adam had good luck maybe they would be enjoying themselves in his room.

"It was kinda strange that you didn't want to bet your coat in any round." She explained later once fully-dressed. "But you were so distracted wanting to achieve the victory..." She continued, putting an emphasis on this last word, a euphemism to not say her body. "...that I could see the deck inside your sleeve from my seat."

And with that, Belladonna lectured a man in his mid-twenties. Adam just hoped she didn't reveal his strategy as he used it on every poker game he played with the high-rank members of the organization.

"Then, if you already knew, why did you let me undress you?" Taurus finally found the correct words to lecture her as well. The cat faunus froze in her place and her playful smile was replaced by a slight blush on her cheeks. "You could have discovered me anytime, darling." He added, regaining courage and with his flirty intentions back.

"I'll keep the answer for myself this time." Blake replied with a smile. "So maybe next time we can play truth or dare." She sentenced, excited to try Adam's nerves next time.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Guest:** Thank you a lot! Yes, in fact, you made me laugh. Right now I'm very busy but I enjoy a lot writing so I don't think I'll stop posting drabbles anytime soon. Feel free to vote in the reviews.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** The incubus Adam/witch Blake would be an excellent idea for the next Halloween/Terror themed drabble! I'll keep it in mind, if you have more details for this request send me a message and we can discuss. P.S: The bad boy drabble is on the next poll, vote for it if you want it to be posted next week. There is also the drabble "Come Back" which I believe you'll enjoy as well.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Very glad that you enjoyed Adam Xiao Long. How was your birthday? I hope you spent a very good day. About the Yang/Ruby topic, I can change the dialogue and put they are almost sisters (making a reference about their close family bonds and the fact that they were raised together because of Team STRQ). Well, except for that I'm glad that you did like how the request turned out.

 **Poll:** You can vote in the reviews. The most voted drabble will be the first that I'll post next week.

 **Option #1:** Seductive Danger [Bad boy AU]: (T) The adorable daughter of Menagerie's chieftain caught the eye of Adam Taurus, a trainer of the White Fang known for his charms. Maybe Blake isn't as good as her parents believe her to be when she meets him, daring to do more than she ever thought. However, when Ghira finds out that Blake dates him he will forbid the relationship. Will Blake obey or go on adventures with the boy who makes her feel alive? (Romance & Friendship)

 **Option #2:** Come Back [Pre-volume 1]: (K+) Adam Taurus is ordered to find Blake Belladonna, a former member of the White Fang, to make her pay for her treason to the faunus organization. Nevertheless, will he be capable to submit her to justice once he finds her? This new mission will test the loving bonds that once kept them together. (Angst)

 **Option #3:** Legacy [Future AU] : (M+) The White Fang rules over Remnant and the tables are turned: Now humans are oppressed by the faunus, who are ruled by the dictator Adam Taurus. Having everything he has ever wanted, including his love, he will make sure that his legacy continues and decides that Blake must be the mother of their children. Meet Luna and Damon Taurus, one like her mother and the other like his father. As they aspire to inherit the throne, it will be in their hands the future of their parents: Adam, the ruler of the dictatorship, and Blake, the protected prisoner that wishes freedom to change the world. (Angst and sensitive topics).

The three options are very different from each other. Choose wisely!

Frozenheart7


	35. Legacy

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Legacy

 **A/N:** So there was a draw between Option #1 [Bad boy/Good girl AU] and Option #3 [Legacy]. I gave myself the freedom to choose to post first Option #3: Legacy because I have yet to retouch some scenes in the Bad Boy/Good Girl AU. Thank everyone for voting! Next week will be Option #1 turn, Emmalee's request "Seductive Danger" [Bad Boy/Good Girl AU]

 **Rating:** M+

 **Summary:** The White Fang rules over Remnant and the tables are turned: Now humans are oppressed by the faunus, who are ruled by the dictator Adam Taurus. Having everything he has ever wanted, including his love, he will make sure that his legacy continues and decides that Blake must be the mother of their children. Meet Luna and Damon Taurus, one like her mother and the other like his father. It will be in his hands the future of their parents: Adam, the ruler of the dictatorship, and Blake, the protected prisoner that wishes freedom to change the world.

 **Warnings:** Non-con, forced pregnancy, manipulation… Sensitive topics ahead.

* * *

When the door was unlocked and Adam came in, Blake perked her ears up in surprise. It had been a while since his last visit. He had lost interest in her once she stopped resisting his control and submitted to the golden prison. Or maybe it was just because he was busy with the White Fang's leadership. She didn't care either way. The same as he no longer cared about her pastimes during her eternal imprisonment. Everything was in its place, the same as when he left the last time: the double-sized bed, plants on both of its sides and bedside tables, the shelves with the books and the desk where she used to work in...

Was he there to tell her that it had been a year since the White Fang managed to trap her? Belladonna couldn't help but have a spark of curiosity as she was bored most of the time, on her loneliness, only reading or writing for her own entertainment. She had gotten used to her room, pretty luxurious as he told her that he had made everything in his hand to at least let her live in the most comfortable bedroom he could enable in the same main White Fang hideout, in Mistral. There she had been locked since the assault in Menagerie. The White Fang had managed to take control of the most important territories, faunus, and humans. Or that was what Adam had told her, maybe he had lied to her to extinguish her instinct of liberty and will to escape but she had none of that left since a long ago.

"Greetings, my love." He greeted, as cordial as ever. Blake didn't welcome him with her arms open but neither threw the first object she had in hand at him to cause as much harm as possible. "Do you want to go out for a while?"

Belladonna couldn't help but nod to that opportunity. She had a small balcony that when Taurus was with her she could use to go outside and have some healthy sunlight. Only then the door to the balcony was open, not even in the presence of the guards that stood twenty-four hours outside her locked bedroom. He had taken all strides as possible to ensure the security of the room where she was kept. The door was electronic and it only got opened with his fingerprint or with a code that changed each time he authorized the access inside her chamber. The cat faunus had also tried everything the first months to escape and get out of there but it was impossible, Adam had won the second Ilia fooled her to meet in a lonely and dark street back in Menagerie.

"Come on." Adam warned, the balcony open. Belladonna left the book she had been reading inside and let the fresh air outdoors brush her face and hair. He sat beside her under the parasol as she chose the spot with more sunlight. In other circumstances it would have been quite the contrary but now it was the cat faunus who yearned for the sun's warmth. "How have you been?"

That kind of small talk Adam gave to her was dangerous and it made trigger some alarms in her head. She had to answer carefully and try not to give more conversation than the necessary.

"I'll need more paper." Belladonna replied, remembering she had been out of paper for a while now. "And more books if that's possible." She had learned that it was better to have more things than necessary on her room in case he didn't return in the next week.

"You're always demanding things out of me, Blake. Haven't you thought over this selfishness of yours?" He replied back, in a tone very unusual on him, a dangerous and sharp sentence.

"Luckily I have a lot of time in here to think." She replied, ironic, closing her eyes at the intense rays of sun that made her remember a certain person… "Too much time." She muttered, being that loneliness the principal cause of her lack of will to live and carry on. She didn't have any reason to continue breathing, any utility nor tasks. Adam just wanted to torture her psychologically and he was achieving it. "I think the less you can do is give me something to entertain myself."

Poor choice of words, she thought during the silence after her last sentence. She let out a sigh. Adam would do whatever he wanted, being careful or not and she was starting to think that his visit had a very concrete purpose.

"But you give me nothing in exchange." Taurus pointed out, making a chill crawl down Blake's spine. "And I think that should change starting from now."

Belladonna leaned forward to sit and opened her eyes to face the bull faunus. She tried to read what he wanted in his expression but he still had his mask on. Her heart was starting to race as she contemplated all types of possibilities. Something she had done since her imprisonment was walk everytime she thought too hard about something, a costume that sometimes triggered some serious anxiety. She felt the urge to get up and walked towards the fence of the balcony to admire the mesmerizing sights of the snowy mountains at the distance. When she felt her chest slow down, she turned and stared at Adam again, who had remained silent since his last sentence.

"I'm not going to rejoin the White Fang." Blake sentenced, thinking that what he wanted to talk about was work. "Not even if that means getting out of my bedroom. I don't want to aid in this dictatorship." She spat at him, more pissed with every word she pronounced.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about that." He said, relaxing his tone and getting up to join the cat faunus in front of the fence. They both stared at the landscape for several minutes, the wait killing Blake from inside. His proximity making her fear the worst. "But you wouldn't be so bored and lonely anymore." He added, dropping small hints to torture Blake's psyche.

Taurus had been thinking too much too lately. The power of the White Fang did nothing but grow even more. The humans were now oppressed, he had faunus as rulers of every kingdom. More brothers and sisters joined the brotherhood and humanity was now an oppressed minority after an international civil war in all continents. Only a few humans had privileges, like Salem's subordinates, who had helped Adam achieve the power he had now as a dictator. He had achieved his dream and his mind couldn't stop thinking: I'll have to leave a legacy to take on where I left. Because maybe someday an accident could happen or the same death that was unpredictable. He was almost at the age of thirty and he needed to make appropriate life choices in order to assure the best future he could for himself and everything he had and cared about. He had left the cat faunus abandoned due to his work and because she no longer amused him when he was bored. Her wild spirit had been dominated and she was just calm and accepted her fate as his prisoner for being a traitor but also because he had held her dear in his heart for so long. That was why he needed her help and not anybody else's.

"I want you to be the mother of my children, Blake." He sentenced, freezing her blood with the words 'mother' and 'children'. "I need a legacy and I don't want to have one with somebody that isn't you, my darling."

Belladonna made a few steps backward, caressing, almost unconsciously, her stomach. Adam knew her intentions just by staring at her horrified expression and eyes open in fear so when she ran to return inside Taurus was able to follow her and quickly lock the door to the balcony, to ensure that she would be kept inside the bedroom.

"Leave me alone!" The cat faunus cried, holding the bedside table lamp high on her hand, threatening to throw it at Adam. That brought back some old memories of her first weeks in captivity. "Get out of here!"

"I think you misunderstood." He said, showing his palms to calm down Blake. "I must rephrase: You will be the mother of my children." He sentenced.

She shook her head in horror, trying to keep the distance as he paced forward, unplugging the lamp from the wall to carry it with her during that intent to corner her. She had to keep her head cool and calculate every movement, erasing the tears running down her cheeks at the panic the idea of maternity caused her. And even more with a person that she didn't love but despised deeply. He would disgrace her, he wasn't conscious of the responsibility that was having children to rise. How could he even consider that idea while having her locked up in that expensive cage? He could have every female he wanted at his feet, honored to serve him. She even suspected he did have several lovers as he never demanded her love during her captivity. She had discarded every possibility of him demanding her flesh but this was different, it wasn't just her body, it was a sacrifice.

"Do you really think I'll let you open my legs?" She asked, very serious. He was worse than Blake could have ever expected.

"You'll make it hard for me, won't you?" He asked, stopping his tracks to study her intentions.

She held tighter the lamp, an improvised weapon, and remained as close as she could to the electronic door, thinking that maybe during their upcoming fight she could manage to scan one of his fingerprints. Foolish of her, Taurus suddenly ran at her and Blake did her best by dodging his grip with her semblance, despite the lack of practice in body to body combat. He chuckled and she threw the lamp at him, out of spite and anger more than nothing else. It was all she could feel after all. No more sadness, no more happiness. Just fear and hatred for herself and the others.

"I thought the idea would catch your enthusiasm." He mocked, preparing again for another jump at her while she moved next to the bed. "I'm sure you'll be a great mother."

"Shut up!" She cried again, cursing him for triggering her nerves that didn't allow her to concentrate on the actual situation.

Instead of running, Adam just paced very slowly towards her. With every step she made backward he did two forward. Belladonna had to climb the bed without stopping looking at him and that was the opportunity he had been waiting for. Taurus jumped to the mattress and tried to trap his prisoner between him and the bedsheets but her semblance still worked and she managed to sneak out of the bed to the other side. While Adam climbed down the bed, Blake sprinted towards the bathroom's door to lock herself inside, out of his reach. However, when she managed to open it, Adam's hand closed it shut, finally trapping her. He got a grip on the back of her neck and dragged her to the bed, struggling to make her feet follow his same direction. The cat faunus felt her body sinking in the couch as he placed himself on top of her body, restraining both of her wrists on the height of her head.

"Reconsider this, Adam." She begged, keeping her legs closed and curled. "You'll regret this decision…"

He made her hush as he softly placed a wet kiss on top of her lips. He stared into her eyes and kissed her forehead, leaning in for a while to try and calm her. If they were going to conceive a baby she needed to be relaxed. However, Belladonna didn't stop struggling and they wrestled for a while. Adam ended pinning her arms and placing warm kisses on her hair until she calmed down though still being in shock.

"Why me?" The cat faunus dared to ask, her voice was broken.

"Because you're the only one I hold dear deep down my heart, love." He confessed.

He slowly let go of her wrists to try and give Blake some movement. She took advantage of the situation and tried to escape despite his words, trying to climb up with the help of the headboard but being immediately chased by the bull faunus who pulled her down the bed once more. She was facing the couch and felt Adam positioning on top of her almost hurting her petite body due to his weight and musculature. He felt how her breath started to race once more and how she trembled so he continued with the caresses, a way that without knowing it, it would make the torture longer and less endurable for her.

"Hush, darling…" He whispered, blowing some hot air on her neck that gave her goosebumps. "I know it's been a while since your last time with me…" He continued, referring to their teenager memories when they were both members of the faunus brotherhood. "Relax and I'll be gentle." He sentenced, lifting her nightgown and sneaking his hand way up between her legs.

* * *

Adam held the pregnancy test on his hands while sitting on the bed. Belladonna had lost count of the times he tried to get her pregnant but his expression told her that something had been different that time. She held tighter the bed sheets as she tried to canalize the anxiety that silence produced. If the test was negative, he would immediately join her in bed and try once more, every night for every day of the week. The torture would keep going on but only to bring a greater pain: pregnancy. He made sure to feed her with ingredients that helped faunus females to be more fertile, he made her stay with her legs up and lift the hips after his 'visits' and had a strict control over her calendar and the moon phases to ensure the highest rating of probabilities to conceive a child. Taurus knew nothing could go wrong and much less now that he had been secretly putting a special herb on Blake's evening teas she had before nighttime.

The small machine in Adam's hands beeped, announcing the results. Blake didn't dare to look at Adam nor the screen with the verdict. She turned around, facing the wall and covering her almost naked body with the blankets.

"Congratulations, Blake." Taurus announced leaning over her with care, caressing the naked skin of her shoulders, placing a soft kiss on the bone. "You are pregnant."

The cat faunus felt sharp ice piercing her whole chest, her breathing blocked due to the sudden new. The warmth of Adam's hand was now on her belly, stroking the skin that would carry his future child. Salty water stained the pillow under their heads as Blake sobbed quietly, her hands trembling and painfully gripping the blankets around her.

"I hope you're crying out of happiness." The bull faunus commented, holding her closer but with extreme care. "It was about time."

Blake's anger ignited and she got up from the bed, rejecting his embrace. She yelled at the air, letting out all of her desperation to just collapse into her knees and cover her face to cry. Taurus kneeled down by her side and rubbed her arms but she rejected any contact and crawled away, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Love you need to remain calm, these nerves are not good for the baby." He tried to convince her, keeping a grip around her ankle. "Return to the bed. Now." He ordered more roughly this second time.

"You're going to make me." Belladonna challenged him, her sadness turning to hate. "But you won't use brute force on me because I'm carrying YOUR child." She reminded him.

"You little-..." He almost slapped her but his hand stopped in the air, realizing that what she was saying was right. If he couldn't use his strength against her then he would use another method, he would find one eventually. "Your task is easy. Just rest and stay in bed." For now, he would use his reasoning and dialogue. Later he would think about a better incentive for her to obey his commands.

"I will never rest if this thing is inside of me." She spat, referring to his baby.

"Then I'll tie you to the mattress if it is necessary." His threat was clear, gripping her ankle too tight, enough to leave a bruise that would turn purple in a few hours.

"It won't be useful if I find a way to get rid of it first." The defiance was greater with each threat.

That last threat from Blake had been stronger than the one he made before and it made his blood boil. He roughly made her get up, pulling her hair for her to remain on her feet. They wrestled, Adam having the disadvantage of having to be careful and making the fight longer than usual. When he managed to immobilize Blake in a restraining grip, he forced her to walk with him and scanned his fingerprint to open the door. The cat faunus saw it as a chance to escape and reach for her freedom but his fingers were tangled with her hair. He would rather pull one by one all of her mane before letting her go.

"Guards." He called from the inside, a couple of faunus showing up a few seconds after. "I'll need a sedative for the lady and your help to clear out the room." Adam sentenced, Blake panicking at the word 'sedative'.

One of them ran to go and get a sedative while the other entered and helped Taurus control the cat faunus, who was trying to bite the arms restraining her and gave kicks in all directions to avoid the guard to come closer and aid Adam. However, they were two on one, males against a pregnant and vulnerable female… Before Blake could realize it, she was pinned down in the couch and injected with a syringe that made her eyes close and her other senses fade slowly.

"Sir, what do you mean by 'clearing the room'?" She heard one of the guards question.

"Take out all of the objects that could be used to cause harm. Start with the hangers." Adam commanded. "In case of doubt take it out too, leave only the necessary." She heard before fading out to the unconsciousness.

* * *

Her golden cage wasn't so golden now. The shelves were no longer there, the books neither. It had been a punishment for her last defiance to Adam. Blake suffered nausea and cravings each morning. They didn't let her go out at the balcony anymore even though she needed all the solar vitamin she could get. At least they had taken out the restrains that kept her attached to the bed, unable to move more than one meter far from it. She hadn't seen anybody in what seemed days. They only served her the necessary food from a small hole in the door designed for that and she had to eat with her hands, not having even cutlery to eat properly.

Taurus didn't return until a few weeks after the reforms on the bedroom. He found the cat faunus curled up between the bed sheets, smelling very bad, her hair greasy and her eyes swollen due to the intense crying. He immediately regretted his absence, realizing that she needed to have the minimal necessities to at least live with basic well-being. He tripped with an empty dish on the floor, which woke up the prisoner and made her be on her guard, even consumed by the darkness, she knew where he was standing.

"The guards told me you were awfully calm." He started, a fake gentle tone in his voice. "Won't you amuse them with your intense temper anymore, my love?"

Taurus turned on the lights and Belladonna covered her eyes due to the light's intensity. She had been surrounded by the darkness for days, as a punishment for making too much noise: yelling, kicking the walls, punching the door… She had tried all kind of rebellious behaviors and attitudes and finally gave up, accepting her motherhood, hoping that once she gave birth Adam would forget about her again. He sat by her side on the bed, leaving an unknown object on the bedside table. Blake didn't even try to turn, she didn't want to speak at the moment. She was well on her loneliness, having the small bump inside of her torturing twenty-four hours a day. Seeing no reaction from her, Adam placed his hand on her stomach, risking much more than his fingers if Blake decided to react violently. However, she only flinched slightly at the sudden contact and remained silent.

"How's my baby?" He asked, emphasizing the possessive pronoun, something Blake hated. He caressed all of her shapes and noticed that her stomach was no longer flat. "You've been doing well?"

"You could let me keep some dignity and allow me to take a shower." Belladonna spoke after a long minute of silence.

"I'll consider your petition." He sentenced, getting comfy due to the lack of rejection from the cat faunus. "But we have to do something first."

Whenever he used the word 'we' Blake had cold chills. He let go of her and grabbed what he had brought along with him, the unknown object on the bedside table. It was a book. But not any book, it was a book with a list of all the names that existed in Remnant. A compilatory volume he had brought to choose a name for their descendants.

"We both know the last name will be 'Taurus' so I'll let you choose the first name." He explained to her, gaining just indifference. He kept talking at the lack of words. "So, what will it be if it is a boy?" He said, opening the book where the list of male names started.

"It won't be a boy." Blake spoke for the first time, holding her belly between her hands. "I'm sure I'm carrying a girl."

"How can you know that, my darling?" He questioned, being ignorant about motherhood, pregnancy and everything that involved kids and children.

"Motherly instinct." She sentenced. "I have already picked a name: Luna."

Belladonna had only been able to see the moonlight during the dark nights in her confinement. It was the only thing she yearned to have an see, the moon on the nocturne sky to watch over her destiny. She had always loved the stars and the astrology but now that she was being kept there, the moon became a symbol very important for her. Maybe by giving the growing child that name it would become a hope for her too.

"I like it." Taurus agreed and embraced her, appreciating the calm. "But what if you are wrong and-..."

"I'm not wrong. It's a female." She repeated. He was starting to get on her nerves. "If you aren't going to let me take a shower, leave. We have nothing more to talk about."

The bull faunus was left frozen before Blake's coldness. He couldn't find enough courage to deny her petition so he got up and unlocked the door of the bathroom to let her go and relax with a shower. The cat faunus was even surprised that he had rewarded her tartly attitude by letting her use the shower.

"Go." He commanded. "I'll tell the guards to ventilate the room, bring clean clothes and change the bedsheets too."

* * *

After seven long hours of suffering and pain, Luna B. Taurus was born during a full moon night. Belladonna couldn't describe the relief she felt once the doctors showed the baby girl to her. She was beautiful and had the same faunus traits as her: cat ears. Blake was glad when the doctors that aided during the birth told her that Luna would resemble her mother in a lot of ways since her traits were the ones inherited. Adam didn't seem to care and told the doctors to stay around for the first days to keep control of the baby's health and Blake's postpartum cares. That night Blake rested like she hadn't in the last years, exactly since before joining Adam in his radical branch of the White Fang.

Luna was as calm and quiet as her mother and also slept all night while the father stayed in the same room too, wanting to reassure himself that he had finally gotten a descendant. He would make sure Luna would be what Blake never managed to be: a strong and decided warrior that would do everything in her hands to protect her people, the faunus, her father's dictatorship…

Blake's behavior changed for good since Luna's birth. She smiled a lot and didn't let go of her baby girl in any moment, being enchanted by her motherhood and motherly instincts to remain with her child and protect her at any costs, even if it was excessive protection.

"Let me hold her, Blake." Taurus complained when she had been having Luna between her arms for an hour and he still hadn't had the opportunity to hold his daughter.

That triggered the cat faunus' protective instincts over her daughter and she shook her head, denying the father his right to hold his daughter whenever he wanted. When he tried to reach for Luna, Blake moved away on the bed to prevent him from touching her. Those overprotective moments had pissed Adam for so long until one day he decided to just steal the baby girl from her hands. Whenever Blake would complain, he would always remind her:

"If it had been up to you, you would have gotten rid of my daughter."

"Our daughter." Blake remarked, hating it now even more that he considered Luna just his when she had been the one carrying her for nine months and suspecting that she would have to do most part of the job to raise and educate her.

The mother rested while Taurus enjoyed the time with Luna between his arms. Blake didn't like when strangers held her, luckily she didn't have many people that wanted to do that in her prison. She knew she would try and educate Luna like Blake's parents had educated her to avoid turning like his father. Blake already know that in a few months Adam wouldn't be so much time around and then she could teach Luna whatever she wanted and with time she would grow with her same values and ethics. The doctors couldn't be wrong, so much resemblance couldn't be just physical.

"She has my eyes though." Adam said, caressing the perfect blue gems that Luna had as eyes. They reminded him of his childhood before being marked by the Schnee Dust Company. Luna was lucky to be born in such prosperity and with a family… "But everything else is yours, my love." He told Blake, seeing the raven hair that grew on Luna's scalp.

Luna soon fell asleep in his father's arms and Adam left her on the cradle beside the double-sized bed where Belladonna used to spend more time. He would have to return to the leadership but not before discussing some things with Blake. He sat down close to the cat faunus that pretended to be asleep.

"I think the baby is an opportunity, my love." He let go, catching Blake's attention, who opened her eyes and turned to face Adam while laying down on the bed. "An opportunity to redeem yourself and return by my side." He opened his arms to her and Belladonna felt the urge to find shelter on them, not rejecting cuddling with him. That gave Adam some hope as she curled by his side and wrapped one of her arms around his shoulder to hold close. That kind of contact she yearned for was so comforting, even being from Adam and not her loved ones. It was dangerous to lean on his body but she needed it anyway from time to time.

Belladonna knew she could take back her freedom, she would have power and money as Adam took pride in what she had now that the humans were oppressed. She could be his queen and rule by his side. She could call everything they had now a family, with Luna and them being almost a royal family in all of Remnant. But of course, not everything would be perfect. Then maybe Luna couldn't be educated with the moral values her mother wanted, maybe she would turn into a monster like Adam. She could grant liberty to Luna too but at which price?

"You wanted a legacy." Blake reminded him. "I just ask you to let me take care of her and keep my rights as her mother." Was her definitive answer.

"So I guess that's a 'no'?" Taurus asked, for the last time in his life he would give Blake a choice. "If that's what you want, my love. You're sentencing Luna's future too, but you've always been selfish." He spat out to hurt Blake, something that didn't affect her since she had been through that emotional control for so long.

The loose grip on her waist disappeared and he broke the cuddle. Adam got up from the bed and checked on Luna for the last time before leaving and returning to his work. He walked towards the door and scanned his fingerprint, now more confident about Blake staying inside the bedroom. She wouldn't leave Luna behind nor endanger her life by being a fool and trying to escape. That was why he had installed a device to call him, the doctors and the guards inside the room. In case something urgent happened.

"If you need me, you can call me." Taurus reminded her.

* * *

With the years, Luna grew into a very beautiful and intelligent cat faunus. She had grown her hair like her mother, with raven wavy locks contrasting her pale skin, a product of the genetics and the lack of sun. However, Luna was an unhealthy and weak child due to the lack of fresh air, sun, proper activities, good alimentation, and liberty. Blake and Adam had argued a lot of times over Luna's well-being, always arriving at the same point of the conversation, a dead end street.

"Luna needs to go outside and play, socialize like any child her age!" Belladonna insisted, the four-year-old-girl hiding behind her mother's legs.

"We'll go to the park, then. This same morning if you insist, my love." Taurus replied with a victorious smile.

"But I won't let you take her out of here without me." Blake remarked, being that the principal con to Luna's liberty.

In other occasions, Adam would have insisted to Blake to let her grab Luna and go outside, but she wouldn't allow it. But now the father had seen his same eyes watch him from behind the thin figure of her mother, hiding from the loud noises they made while arguing. Knowing that Luna was able to talk properly, he kneeled down on the floor to be at her same height and would try to convince her, Luckily, she wouldn't have inherited her mother's stubbornness too.

"Come here, Luna. Don't you want to go and have a walk with daddy?" Taurus asked, holding out her hand at her.

"No!" Luna yelled in a high-pitched voice. "I want to stay with mommy!" She protested, holding tighter to Blake's leg.

"Why not? We can see the flowers and the birds outside." Adam tried again, his patience slowly slipping away.

"Mommy says you're bad." Luna shyly confessed, making her mother's heart race. "Daddy is bad, Luna is staying with mommy."

Blake's fingers trembled when Adam got up and his glance pierced her golden eyes. Luna had any fault for saying that, everybody could see that Taurus was crazy, psychopathic, delusional, a murderer. That had been Luna's conclusion to everything that Blake had told her about her father and on one hand she was glad to see that their daughter was able to distinguish what was good and what was wrong. But on the other hand, it would be Belladonna the one to face the consequences of their daughter's words and she could read in Adam's expression that he was very angry.

"Not in front of her, please. You'll scare her." Blake begged, her hands protecting their daughter's cat ears since they were very sensitive to loud sounds.

"Of course not. I don't want her to see me like the monster you told her I am." Adam agreed and then he glanced at Luna. "Luna, go and hide inside the closet. Daddy needs to teach mommy how to speak in front of you."

Belladonna hadn't felt that amount of terror since a long time ago. She nodded at Luna for her to obey at Adam's commands and that made him be even more furious at Blake's authority over their daughter. Nevertheless, he didn't lay a finger on her until she was closed inside the closet, protected and prevented from seeing what her father was about to do. He slapped her face, leaving a burning and vibrant mark on the right cheek as a reminder of his control over everything. The mother hissed, feeling how her skin ached after that hit.

"I didn't say that!" Blake stepped back, showing her palms as a sign of no resistance. Adam tried to get a grip on her neck but the cat faunus slipped away, frightened because of his every time more extreme temper.

"Our daughter is a liar just like you." He sentenced, looking at the closet. "Then I guess that I should punish her instead of you."

Adam walked in direction of the closet to take Luna out and show her proper respect. Belladonna froze for a few seconds but reacted in time, trying to persuade the bull faunus from that punishment, holding his hand and trying to stop his tracks, pulling him away from the closet. Blake was willing to take all the hits for her daughter and wouldn't allow him to lay a mere finger on Luna.

"She did nothing! She learned that from me! I'm the one to blame!" Blake cried, desperate, willing to take another hit for her daughter as every mother would do to protect their child.

Blake hadn't thought her pleas would work but they did, or at least that was what she thought. Taurus stopped his pace and faced the cat faunus to wipe her tears out from her face. He faked comprehension and care for her, being almost comforting for the mother. However, all of that was just a prelude of what was about to come. Adam had committed a mistake: let Blake keep the child with her and take care of her education. He would mend those faults that made Luna be a rebel like her mother, she could never take the lead. It would all have to start all over again.

"My love, you're right. I'm afraid Luna is too intelligent to correct her attitude." Adam sentenced, making Blake sigh in relief as he walked towards the bed to caress the silky bed sheets, leaving the cat faunus very intrigued about his actions.

"You will give me another child, a male, a proper heir to my throne." Taurus sentenced, turning to face her.

Belladonna's breath was cut by those last words. She needed to stare into Adam's eyes to believe what he was demanding. There was no doubt on his expression, he wanted a son to be like him since Luna had been a girl and resembled her mother. Blake knew he had lost faith in Luna since she started to talk and her first word was 'mom'. Luna was weak, a girl, and shared all traits with the Belladonna family that once ruled a peaceful organization of faunus. Taurus wanted none of that.

"You can't demand such thing from me!" The cat faunus almost yelled, taken by the panic. "I can't control how-..."

"Then pray to the gods because I won't stop until I have a decent heir to follow my tracks." The bull faunus sentenced approaching her with a mischievous smirk mocking Blake's desperate actions. "I'll come back tonight, you better have Luna already sleeping." He placed a cold kiss on her cheek and walked away, sentencing her future.

Adam left with a thunderous hit on the door, locking mother and daughter inside once more. The cat faunus dropped herself on the bed and cried not loud enough to alarm her daughter. She couldn't imagine all the torture starting again, the burden of having another child under her responsibility and making him perfect to Adam's ideals. It was impossible and Blake saw herself drowning in a well of tears and regrets as she waited for the night to come.

"Mommy?" A shy voice asked, Luna finally daring to get out of the closet once she saw that only her mother was around. She climbed up the bed and poked her mother's face, wet due to the intense crying. "Mommy!" Luna yelled again, finally making Blake react and trigger her motherly instincts.

Belladonna stopped her cries and embraced her daughter in a tight hug. She caressed her smaller cat ears and hushed gently to calm her. During their hug, Blake stared at the clock hung on the wall next to the door. Adam could arrive at any moment and she should have Luna deeply asleep to not notice the hours of torture that would start when her father arrived.

* * *

"Sir, it may be complicated." The doctor warned him as the cat faunus yelled in pain back inside the room. "Who should we save if their lives' are at risk?"

"Save the child and don't hesitate." Adam sentenced. The doctor just nodded and returned inside the room to attend to Blake, who was about to give birth to a male heir as he wanted.

"What's happening to mom?!" Luna asked, holding her father's hand, too young to understand the cycle of the life, scared because she had witnessed the moment Blake fell to the floor and stained the floor with water, indicating the start of the process.

"You'll have a younger brother." Taurus sentenced, taking Blake's daughter with him.

From that moment, Luna would be hers and his son would be his.

When the first lights of the day had risen, a male heir to Adam's throne had been born, strong and healthy. Nevertheless, Blake was left in a poor state after his birth. The doctor told Adam that the child's small but sharp horns had cut Blake's uterus and that she would have to rest in bed for several weeks with strong medications and being extremely careful. Blake was in danger even now that she had given birth and was stabilized and the doctor warned Adam that giving the baby Blake's motherly milk could be harmful to the baby due to the medication. Taurus agreed with the medical team to find another female to feed the baby while Belladonna recovered from her internal wounds and the hours of suffering.

The doctors left with his son and Adam entered the room to visit Blake with her daughter. Luna immediately let go of Adam's hand and ran to her mother's side, climbing up several furniture to be at enough height to see her. Taurus observed how differently Luna behaved with her mother, softly caressing her face while she was still resting from birth. He had made a good decision by asking for another child. This time Belladonna wouldn't have the chance to taint him with her ideas.

"Where's Damon?" Blake asked, the sedatives still making a number on her.

"Who's Damon?" Taurus asked, confused. He hadn't learned the names of the doctors, he could differentiate between them unless she described the appearance.

"Your son." She replied with enough sudden strength to spat the last word with hate.

Blake and Adam hadn't agreed about the baby's name since Taurus thought he would have total control over the decisions that involved them. However, that name suited him and it almost was pronounced the same way as the word 'demon'. Maybe Blake had done it on purpose and just for kicks.

"Can I see him? The cat faunus asked, anticipating his father's answer.

"That won't be necessary." The bull faunus sentenced and gave a soft pat at Blake's hair that almost made Luna show him her fangs because she had seen how he treated her mother when they thought she was sleeping. "Just be proud of your work, you've done well."

Blake sighed and nodded, almost relieved because she wouldn't have another burden than her own life and Luna's. If Adam wanted a child for himself, he already had him so now she and Luna would be left in peace, alone at last. No more punishments, manipulations, arguments nor torture. However, that didn't relief Belladonna in all aspects. She didn't know if Adam would just not care about her and Luna and definitely forget about them, leaving them locked inside the bedroom to rot inside.

* * *

Blake had seen Damon for the first time when he made three years. In fact, it had been the same child that had been wondering for his mother and Adam out of pity had let him visit his sister and mother. Damon was a very active child, unlike Luna who preferred to remain quiet and spend the afternoon reading. He had his mother's raven hair but horns like his father and blue eyes like his sister. Luna, instead, when she hit prepuberty her hair started to turn redder than before and while being exposed to the light of the sun it seemed that she was red-haired.

The whole family had decided to spend his birthday outside in the bedroom balcony with Luna and Blake for once, who were kept isolated from most of the things, Adam just visiting them once a week to bring new books, presents, and clothes. While Luna and Blake sat on a chair and read a magazine, courtesy from Adam, Damon couldn't stop making distracting noises while playing with two plastic airplanes, his birthday present. Luna and Blake just focused on enjoying the sunlight, being the two deeply synchronized in mind and soul, communicating with just a glance was enough for them both.

Damon and Adam also shared a special connection but it wasn't as pure as the one mother and daughter had. Their ideas were synchronized as well but not for good.

"Ouch!" Luna complained when a plastic toy was thrown at her head. "Be careful!"

Damon chuckled at the pain he had caused and roughly stole the plane from her hands. Luna glanced at her mother and she understood the message: Luna didn't like Damon. And neither did Blake. He was obviously raised by Adam's ruthless conduct and his ideals. At least he would be a satisfied father and wouldn't demand another child to Blake, who started to feel the weight of her years.

"Daddy, I'm bored." Damon wouldn't keep repeating once he got tired of playing with his plastic airplanes.

Luna glanced at her brother with disappointment and almost complained but decided to keep her thoughts for herself. Taurus, however, recognized that dissatisfaction Blake felt when she was younger in her daughter.

"What is it, Luna?" Taurus asked, a dangerous tone in his voice, almost defensive if she was going to complain about her brother.

The smaller cat faunus stared at her mother with doubt, concerned because of her father's sudden attention on her, something she was no longer used since a long time. Blake stared at Adam to try and guess his emotions and thought there was nothing wrong in telling her father what concerned Luna. Blake made an encouraging gesture with her head to her daughter to motion her to speak to her father as well.

"I also want to do something special for my birthday." Luna confessed, seeing how well Damon was until he decided he was done with the plastic airplanes.

Blake tried to warn her daughter about the consequences of demanding things to her father but Taurus replied before she could intervene: "And what would you like to do?" He asked, seeming honest about his intentions and for once caring for his daughter's wishes and needs.

Luna searched for something in the magazine with euphoria, even stealing the one her mother had in her hands. Her hands stopped when her eyes identified the thing she had been searching with so much enthusiasm. There was a big picture of a desert during sundown, creating beautiful colors on the horizon and in the background an oasis of paradise being shown too. It was just an advertising for a perfume that had a name alluding to the sand of that desert and that promised a refreshing scent.

"I want to go there, dad." Luna asked, showing the picture to Adam and Damon, who suddenly showed interest for his sister.

"Vacuo's wastelands." Taurus recognized the place, a very important battle of the civil war between humans and faunus had happened there. "If your mother allows you, I can take you there and spend the day together: Damon, you and me."

Luna frowned at the last part as her father hadn't included Belladonna in the plans. Blake now refused to maintain visual contact with them and stared at the distance, the highest mountains of Mistral's region. Of course, he had sentenced her to eternal imprisonment for her mentality. She could never get out of there but there was still hope for Luna, who was waiting for her mother's reply to know if going out with her father and brother was a good idea or not.

"You should go, Luna." Blake finally sentenced, turning to face the rest of her so-called family. "Travel and have fun as much as you can whenever you have the chance. I wish I had known that at your age." She advised, throwing an indirect to the bull faunus who just smirked evilly.

* * *

"Try it once more, Luna." Blake encouraged her daughter, repeating once more the use of her semblance, creating a shadow and vanishing under it to escape. "I know you can do it. You inherited my semblance, I'm sure." She assured, being always cent percent sure on everything involving her daughter and never being wrong about it.

The daughter mimicked her mother's movements and managed to fade for a few moments, leaving just a dusty black smoke, enough to distract a possible enemy and confuse its visual field to search for her. Yes, she had a very similar semblance, but Luna had an advantage: Adam didn't know. The smaller cat faunus faded again, her mother throwing a book at her to try and dodge hits, achieving it in most of the cases. If they managed to develop that black smokey dust into a mass of dark clouds Luna would be able to escape the day of her birthday.

"That's fine for today, Luna." Her mother congratulated her daughter and went over the fridge to serve her a glass of fresh milk to help her weary aura recover. "But you'll need to improvise depending on the situation." Belladonna advised while her daughter drank the milk frantically.

When Luna finished, she handed the empty glass at her mother and she left it on the counter of the small kitchen they had in the same bedroom. The daughter would need a good shower and a nap to recover from that intense morning and the training her mother would make her perform every day in order to ensure her survivance, freedom, and well-being.

"And where should I ask for help once I escape?" Luna asked her mother, fearing their plan couldn't work. "I will be in the middle of a desert, there will be nobody around."

"You're wrong, Luna." Her mother corrected her daughter's suppositions. "There are noble warriors all over Remnant, Huntsmen and Huntresses who aid the helpless and fight for the common good." Blake explained.

"Not like dad." Luna muttered, receiving a sad nod from her mother. "Not like dad." Belladonna sentenced.

"I know somebody in Vacuo." She told her daughter, willing to talk about that person, their only hope. "He will help you without thinking it twice."

"How will I know who he is?" Luna asked once more but Belladonna couldn't give out much information in case something went wrong and their plan failed. She didn't want more people involved in the mess she started the day she accepted joining Adam and his fight in Vale.

"He will recognize you." The mother sentenced.

* * *

Belladonna hurried and packed more food than needed on her daughter's backpack before Adam could arrive and take her out of their prison. Luna was biting her nails, something she should get rid of doing but that Blake couldn't blame on her because she was nervous as her and if she could she would do it as well, but it wouldn't be a good example. They had been trying to search for some kind of weapon but back in those days, Taurus made sure nothing that could be used as harmful was left in their cage. Luna would be on her own out there and should escape from Adam, who Blake trusted that would be too busy taking care and controlling Damon than paying attention to their elder daughter.

"You have a bottle of water." Blake reminded her, zipping the backpack. "Vacuo is warm, drink the minimum quantity of water in case you had to survive there for some hours."

She raised her head and saw her daughter dressed in darker colors, a preference she had inherited from her mother too. Also, Adam never brought very colorful clothes to them, just the basic to be comfortable and live indoors. Luna, in this case, had chosen her favorite pieces of clothing but Blake thought about her election hard before speaking to her.

"It's a good idea to wear dark clothes and combine them with your semblance." Belladonna praised her daughter at first and then continued advising: "But if dad searched for you from the distance or an airplane you'll be an easy objective. You should use lighter clothes to camouflage with the sand."

Mother and daughter searched for creamy colored clothes, not very shiny but not so dark. Luna had a sweater that seemed appropriate and brown military pants that mimicked the camouflage fabric that was used in the army. Once Luna was changed and her mother approved of the election, she made sure to help her and tie the sneakers correctly so she could have as much agility as possible while running in the sand. And for last, Belladonna braided her daughter's hair, knowing that with the reflection of the sun it turned red and it wasn't a very discreet shade to hide in the desert. Placing a cap in Luna's head and helping her carry the backpack, Blake decided that her daughter was ready to face the desert wildness and her father's fury.

"I trust you, Luna." Belladonna sentenced, kneeling to hold both of her small hands, thinking that maybe it could be the last time she would see her own daughter… "Remember that mommy loves you a lot."

"I know. I love you too, mom." Luna replied, holding onto her mother's neck and sinking her fingers into her hair.

Just at that moment, being so opportune, Taurus appeared with his son. They came in the room and while Damon explored and touched things he shouldn't, Adam examined both mother and daughter's expression. He pointed at the backpack and motioned for Luna to turn so he could examine what was inside, not trusting in any moment the situation.

"It's just breakfast, sunglasses and a bottle of water." Blake assured to the father, Adam obviously seeing everything the cat faunus told him. "Doing this is humiliating." She referred to registering his daughter's things and luggage.

"I guess you're all set for the adventure, Luna." Adam said, ignoring Blake's words, acting as if she didn't exist.

Belladonna expected her daughter replying energetically, excited to finally get out of there and meet the outside world, explore another continent… But the result was what nobody expected. Luna looked up at her father with tears about to fall from her blue eyes, the only trait she had inherited from him.

"Can't mommy come too?" Luna asked, her teeth trembling due to her nervousness.

Only then Adam placed his eyes on Blake. She seemed about to cry too but didn't seem to have spoken that petition with her daughter as she was still on her pajamas and with her hair uncombed. If they had wanted to try and get out of there both, Blake would be ready too just in case he was in a good mood and agreed. Their behavior seemed logical to Adam because it was the first time in eight years that Luna and Blake were separated from each other during more than an hour. He guessed it was some of the psychical consequences of their imprisonment and the mother and daughter bond.

"Mommy can't come because she behaved bad." Taurus explained, spitting his usual venom. "If she had cooperated you would have gotten the chance to get out of here sooner." Adam was trying to change her mind, maybe he also had some sort of plan to take advantage of those moments with Luna and try to manipulate her so she would stay with him. However, Luna knew that everything her father could tell were lies so she just nodded and followed her father's tracks to the door, the iron barrier she crossed just once, the night before Damon's birth.

"Have some time to yourself, enjoy some loneliness while you can." Taurus advised to the cat faunus as if having Luna to take care was some kind of negative burden. "We'll be back before you notice."

Luna waved from the other side of the door as her father locked her mother inside, who forced herself to not stop smiling to encourage her daughter to continue with the plan and stay strong. She made her best to not break during her loneliness and also maintain her head cool and do whatever she could in her golden cage. For then, she would use the same strategy that seemed to work since fate brought her inside the luxurious prison Adam created for her.

"Oh, please, gods…" Belladonna pleaded. "Help me as you did on other occasions and aid my daughter so she can be free." She begged, knowing that the chances of herself being freed in consequence and even surviving Adam's anger were null.

* * *

Sun Wukong made his usual watch on top of one of the dunes. He had the best sights of the wastelands from there and he could even distinguish Shade Academy behind him, his reign, while he watched upon the wild territories to avoid more White Fang attacks or in the best of the cases: just Grimm. He fidgeted with his weapon, Riyu Bangu, and Jingu Bangu, being bored after such minutes of silence and loneliness. The wastelands had been dessert since the battle of the oasis on the war against the White Fang. However, Sun maintained that job as he would want to make sure no more tragedies happened to the ones he was supposed to protect. He tried to redeem himself after blaming himself for events of the past, for the harm caused to the persons he loved…

A quick movement caught the monkey faunus' attention by the corner of his eye. He turned and in effect, saw something clear moving towards him, running very quickly, leaving eventually a black smoke behind. That dark dust reminded him of someone's semblance on the back of his mind, but he was in his watch and he couldn't lose sight of what his tasks were. He pulled out the binoculars from the band that held several tools needed on his hips and localized the quick spot that didn't stop moving. It was a person, a faunus, a young girl. She waved at him while not stopping running, from time to time turning to see if somebody was following her. Sun checked it with his sight but saw nobody behind the girl.

"Help me!" He heard her yell, her breath unstable as she was near the tall dune where he was standing. "Help!"

Wukong quickly loaded his weapon and slid down the sand until he was on the floor at the same height as the young teenager. He ran towards her as well to shorten the distance and once they met, the girl collapsed into her knees due to the time she had been escaping. He noticed a scratch on her cheek and pieces of her clothing broken due to a physical fight. That triggered the monkey faunus' alarms.

"Calm down, you're safe." He assured her while she was trying to catch her breath. He helped her stabilize until she could breathe normally. Only then he started the conversation to value if there was any danger near that could out Vacuo in risk. "What's your name, young lady?"

"Luna." The girl replied, taking off her cap and letting Wukong see how shiny and vibrant her hair was. "Are you Sun?" She asked, something so innocent but that made the veteran huntsman have severe goosebumps at having a stranger at the same time so familiar recognizing him.

Yes, there was something in that girl that was oddly familiar. Her hair was silky, red and shiny with the sunlight. Her eyes were light blue, like the morning sky without clouds. Despite being in the desert, her skin was pale, very pale and sweaty due to the intense exercise and the miles ran. And those cat ears… Of course, there existed a lot of feline faunus but that shape was known to him. However, what made the huntsman trust the girl was something her aura had, not forgetting about how familiar that semblance of hers had resulted in him.

"Yes, I am. How can I help you?" He finally dared to reply and offer his help as she had been screaming for help a minute ago.

"My mother needs help." Luna sentenced, tearing up while remembering that she had to leave her behind, being her the only hope she has to get free from her father's hands.

"Who is your mother?" Sun asked, unconsciously glancing over the dusty landscape to try and localize a second person in danger.

"Blake Belladonna."

* * *

In case you're wondering: I won't do a second part. If you ask me about what happens next the only thing I can tell was that during the whole time I spent writing this I had never imagined Blake achieving freedom so I guess that Luna did get free at last but Blake not.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Guest:** Thank you for voting Option #3! I hope you enjoyed it as well! Thank you a lot for your kind words.

 **Sassylittlebird:** Option #1 will be posted next week! I think you'll like a lot how the AU will turn out. I hope the wait will be worth.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Thank you a lot! You'll have to wait one week for the Bad Boy AU but the wait will be worth it. I swear.

 **Angel'sMeraki:** Thank you for voting both of them. In this case, I have posted Option #3 first and next week Option #1 will be posted too.

 **Guest:** Thank you for voting! Option #1 will be posted next week!

 **merendinoemiliano:** That dialogue in Adam Xiao Long drabble has now been changed. However, slight changes in some chapters take some time to be applied to all platforms. At least it's all fixed now. As for your opinion about "Strip Poker" drabble, I'm planning a sequel as Blake teased. It was also difficult for me to write about card games because I'm not a good player and in English I didn't know some moves and names to the strategies, it was something very different for me to write. Glad you enjoyed it. Looking forward to your opinion about this drabble, the one you voted for.

 **Stormzx:** Well, Option #3 has been now posted. What are your thoughts about it? Hope you liked it!

 **Princess-Sera:** Yeah, walking around in only Adam's underwear would have been fun. In fact, I'm planning a sequel to Strip Poker, a Truth or Dare game as Blake teased on the drabble. Maybe there Adam will have to be naked for some kind of game. Who knows... As for Option #2, I have it already finished but I'll have to post Option #1 before, so calculate it will be up in two weeks.

Frozenheart7


	36. Seductive danger

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Seductive danger

 **A/N:** Sorry for the absence! A lot of things have been happening since the last drabble I published. First of all, I have to announce that I passed the exams to enter university and I'll be going to study musicology on September. Secondly, my mother has gotten through another divorce and things at home have been busy. And last of all, now I finally have vacations and more free time. As we left and I promised, this week it was the turn of the Bad Boy/Good Girl AU.

 **Summary:** [Good girl/Bad boy] The adorable daughter of Menagerie's chieftain caught the eye of Adam Taurus, a trainer of the White Fang known for his charms. Maybe Blake isn't as good as her parents believe her to be when she meets him, daring to do more than she ever thought. However, when Ghira finds out that Blake dates him he will forbid the relationship. Will Blake obey or go on adventures with the boy who makes her feel alive?

 **Rating:** T

* * *

Between the two friends there were no secrets. Blake and Ilia grew close thanks to their link to the White Fang. Ilia was an orphan and Blake and only child with occupied parents so they both got used to spending a lot of time together since they were children. As they turned into teenagers their friendship grew closer despite Ilia going on dangerous missions out of the island and Blake having to stay their bond never broke. Blake's parents loved Ilia. She spent half of the time in the White Fang headquarter on the island and the other in the Belladonna manor.

Every Thursday, Blake and Ilia went to the library as they did amazing discounts only for a few hours. Both would always buy a lot of books that later would comment and borrow from each other. From time to time, that weekly visit to the library became a routine. Nevertheless, they had to hurry because Ilia had training half an hour later the discounts began.

"I'm going to be so late!" Ilia lamented, carrying a huge bag full of books. Behind her, Blake was trying to pick up the pace. "I don't think I will have time to leave the books in your house, Blake."

"Then let me come with you and I'll take the books back home." Blake proposed, willing to accompany her friend to the headquarter of the Menagerie brotherhood of the White Fang.

Ilia nodded and Blake hurried to walk quickly by her side. The cat faunus bag was heavy and she wasn't used to training so Ilia had a better physical form than her and as consequence could walk faster with heavy weight.

"You should enter one day and try a training session." Ilia commented to her friend, seeing the White Fang building in the distance.

"You know my father doesn't allow me to train. He believes in peaceful actions…" Belladonna reminded to her friend, fearing one day her insistence would make them argue over their mentality.

Amitola didn't push Blake too far and both kept walking in harmony. Once they were near the entrance, Ilia saw that the trainees of her group were already there, ready to make a trip on the desert to train there and combat against the creatures of Grimm. At least they didn't leave without her.

"Here, let me take this with me." Blake said, grabbing Ilia's bag full of books and fighting to not drop the heavy weight from both of her arms. "Be careful out there, okay?"

Amitola embraced her friend sweetly and thanked her for the favor. She joined the other trainees of the White Fang that were ready to go and said goodbye to Blake with her hand. The cat faunus smiled back to her and looked back, seeing her house far. Her arms would be sore from carrying so much weight.

Ilia and the trainees entered the wild desert through the dusty paths that led to the sand mountains. She was walking lonely and peacefully until a dark figure stood beside her where Blake used to stand. Ilia looked up and found Adam Taurus, one of the coaches that led this training mission. Ilia had him as trainer very often and they talked sometimes but she wouldn't consider him a friend. He was too cold and distanced to have enough trust in him. Nevertheless, Adam's popularity was known and Ilia would like to be closer to him.

"Amitola." Adam broke the silence. "Was that the Belladonna girl?"

Amitola nodded and Adam smirked. He had only seen her briefly in rallies and sometimes wandering on the manor when he came to monthly meetings with her father.

"I need to talk to you about her, you see…" And during the rest of the trip Adam explained everything to Amitola. So she would move the strings for him...

* * *

That Friday Blake was alone in her bedroom, reading one of the books she bought on Thursday in peace. That night her parents went to a meeting with the faunus council of Menagerie and she had to stay in the house. Loneliness never disturbed the cat faunus, in fact, she adored spending time alone and believes that it was a need more than a liking.

Blake's scroll buzzed as a new message was sent to her. She left the book aside on the bedside table and opened her scroll. It was a text from Ilia, who had training late and had just finished.

"Hey, are you already alone?" The text asked.

"Yes. Do you want to come home? We can watch a movie and make popcorn." Blake proposed to her friend. It was also a routine once every weekend to watch a movie together. Nevertheless, Amitola had a better plan that night.

"I was thinking about us going out today. Would you like to come to the Inn? I'll introduce you to some friends from the WF." Amitola proposed.

Blake's fingers stopped before tipping an answer. She was shy and didn't like party, meetings and knowing new people. But lately, Belladonna was bored and the option to go outside and have fun seemed tentative.

"Alright. I'll be there in 30 minutes." Blake replied on the scroll.

The cat faunus quickly changed from her pajamas to a simple sleeveless purple tank top and black pants. She picked sandals to be comfortable walking in the night and not heels as she used to wear. Blake knew she would get in trouble if her parents knew she went to the Inn.

The Inn was the occasional place of reunion to the whitefangers after their routine. Some of them even met there every day and spent the afternoon playing cards and having fun. Ilia had told her about the place and Blake knew it was something informal, a place for friends to reunite. Maybe Ilia wanted to make more friends apart from her and to not make her feel displaced she asked her to come along.

The cat faunus grabbed a small purse to keep her scroll and lien and exited the house, making sure that everything was closed so nobody could enter or sneak in. The night was hot and the occasional air that blew through the streets refreshed the ambiance. In less than fifteen minutes, Blake arrived at the Inn. Ilia wouldn't arrive until ten minutes more passed, as they had accorded through messages. Blake, at first was willing to wait for her outside but being alone and quiet in the street made her skin shiver. Finally, the temptation to enter the Inn and see for herself what was inside won.

The cat faunus felt the warmth of the Inn as she entered. It was a building made of wood entirely. There were two floors, the one downstairs was full of members of the White Fang and the one upstairs was more quiet and empty. But before the cat faunus could go upstairs, she explored the local. In one corner there was a pool game and a lot of faunus betting and laughing over who would win. In the bottom, there was the bar counter and a few Inn keepers serving alcohol to a few drunk faunus that were drinking. In the second floor, there was also a small counter with a single waitress cleaning glasses and dishes. The tables downstairs were too full to fit in one of them. Blake had difficulty going through the people until she finally reached the stairs and could go to the second floor. Once she was there, she sat on a lonely table in a corner and took out her scroll from the purse.

"I'm already there. Where are you?" Belladonna texted Ilia, seeing that it was the time they accorded. Maybe she was outside waiting for her.

"Is this seat taken?" Suddenly a manly voice asked behind Blake.

The cat faunus turned as the intruder sat on the wood chair beside her. She found a male faunus with dark horns and bright red hair. Blake knew him but her eyes showed clear distrust. The cat faunus had seen him with Sienna, often talking to her father and accompanying him to trips or meetings. Blake knew he was important in the White Fang but she couldn't recall his name.

"You are Sienna's pupil." Blake guessed but later regretted her words. He seemed old enough to be a fully trained whitefanger.

"I was." Adam remarked. "My name is Adam, I believe Ilia has talked to you about me."

Belladonna recalled small information about him. Luckily, Ilia had commented her about the desert trip and how amazingly Adam beat a pack of Grimm by himself. Amitola seemed to admire him a lot, but Blake wouldn't give Adam the pleasure to hear that or his ego wouldn't fit inside the Inn. Taurus seemed confident but something about him told Blake he was dangerous. Only that at first she didn't fully trust her instincts, she thought that maybe she felt that way because she was alone with such an attractive male. It was rather intimidating.

"Oh, yes…" Belladonna replied. "You are one of the trainers in her group, right?"

"Stop talking about me and talk more about you." Adam said flirtily. "It's your first time in the Inn? I've never seen you around here."

"I had to meet Ilia here but she hasn't arrived yet." Blake recalled that Taurus already knew both Ilia and her. "You know me, right?"

"Not as much as I would like, Belladonna."

The way he pronounced her last name made her shiver. His presence was intimidating and overwhelming, especially for someone shy like Blake. Adam saw the blush on her cheeks, that only made her more adorable.

"So…" Blake decided to ignore his last sentence. "What makes this Inn so special? There are so many faunus here…"

"It's our habitual place of reunion after work." Adam explained, referring to the work in White Fang. "Faunus come here to socialize and get to know their partners better. It's not so common to see someone avoiding the crowd." He said, referring to her.

"I can't stand so much noise." Blake justified herself. Adam's eyes went to her cat ears and then back to her lips.

"Would you prefer going somewhere private?" Adam offered, closing the distance between them.

Blake felt her cheeks burn but had precaution and moved away from him. She wasn't an easy prey and he was treating her like any other girl on that Inn. Belladonna promised herself she wouldn't fall from him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Blake replied annoyed. "Now if you excuse me, I'd prefer to wait for my friend alone."

Blake refused the eye contact and turned facing the empty seat in front of her, damning Ilia for taking so long to come and meet her. She ignored Adam but he didn't move. Instead, he suddenly exploded in a low laugh that made her skin shiver. She turned slowly to face him again.

"I see you don't understand the situation." Adam smirked, amused. "Ilia is not coming, I told her that I wanted to meet you."

The cat faunus felt the sharp feeling of betrayal on her chest. Looking back, it all made sense. She refused to go to her house and told Blake to go to that Inn. Then Taurus appeared of nowhere and started talking with her. Taurus contained his laugh while seeing Blake's face while realizing everything.

"She has arranged a date?!" Finally, Blake exclaimed. She hated not being on control of things and that escaped her control.

"That summarizes everything, yes." Adam sentenced.

"Why me? Is that because I'm a Belladonna?" She asked, trying to put all the pieces together of why Adam had an interest on her.

"I swear not. I saw you the other day accompanying Ilia and I thought she could convince you to…" Adam's explanations were cut by the sudden movement of the cat faunus, who stood and was willing to go.

"Look, I'm sorry but I should return home." The cat faunus sentenced.

She left without turning around to see Adam's face. Blake hurried going downstairs and passed through the faunus that had just started dancing when the music started. Once Blake was outside sighed in relief. She pulled her scroll out of the purse and sent a quick text to Ilia:

"You are going to pay for this little encounter with Taurus." Blake tipped, the awkwardness still on her chest.

"I swear he's not as an asshole as he seems. He only showed some interest in you. Give him a chance." Blake received Ilia's answer. At the end of the message, she added a smiling face downward.

Belladonna couldn't believe her friend. Now knowing how Adam talked, Blake didn't imagine him being so cold as Ilia usually described.

"He really likes you. Come on…" Ilia insisted on increasing messages. "I know you are dying to have a boyfriend, Blake." That last message was what really triggered the cat faunus, who turned off her scroll and put it back inside the purse.

The noise coming from inside the Inn didn't let him think straight. Belladonna made the last evaluation on Adam. He was a faunus, strong, a leader, handsome… but his personality was what didn't fit Blake's standards when searching for a mate.

Then the question came to her mind: What if Adam really wasn't a bad guy? Ilia assured her that he wasn't treating other females like he tried to treat her. He had to talk to her without knowing anything, maybe he just made a mistake and took Blake for another kind of girl. She didn't want to be impressed, she would want to know a male before deciding if giving him a chance or not.

Instinctively, Blake's feet moved in direction of the Inn. She realized she made a mistake too, being overwhelmed by the sudden possibility of knowing someone who could become more than just a known friend. She had run like a coward and Blake hated that even more than not being on control.

Her hand moved to reach the doorknob of the Inn, but before she could touch it, the door got open. Red met black once more.

"You were going to return inside, weren't you?" Taurus asked, who had just excited to search for her too.

"Maybe…" Blake replied shyly. "But that doesn't mean anything. I still don't know you."

"Well, that was the point of tonight." Adam answered, more natural and less flirty. "You prefer to go somewhere else than staying here, right?"

Blake nodded. "Do you know somewhere less crowded?" She asked, knowing by first hand that it was difficult to see Menagerie not crowded.

"I think so." Taurus replied and held out her hand as an invitation. "Do you want to join me?"

Blake smiled slightly and accepted his offer, holding his gloved hand. On their way to another place, Belladonna noticed Adam surely had changed his behavior when she left. Now he wasn't saying flirty comments, he acted like himself and wasn't trying to impress her with seductive talk. Seeing him from another point of view, Blake found him rather attractive and mysterious, just like the kind of guys she liked on the romance books.

"Where are we going exactly?" Blake asked after a while, tired of following his steps without questioning things.

"There is a nice place on the docks." Blake immediately imagined what he referred to. There was a small place where a bartender made fruit shakes and other things to drink.

Blake unconsciously found comfort on Adam's warmth and leaned closer to him, tightening both of her hands around his arm.

They didn't take long in arriving at the docks. Blake rarely went out during the night so a so silent Menagerie was a strange sight for her. Nevertheless, what surprised her the most was the nightly decoration on the docks. There were golden lights around the fences that illuminated the way through the wood paths. It was intimate and romantic, the kind of details that Blake liked.

"I love this place." She muttered once they arrived at the stand where a bartender made fruit shakes.

Blake asked for a banana and coconut one and Adam choose another made of citrus: orange and lemon. Taurus invited her to the drinks so he paid for everything and both kept walking following the lights, getting away from other couples of faunus that were on the tables near the stand.

"Can you tell me the honest reason why you wanted to date me?" The cat faunus dared to ask after small talk.

"I don't want to seem a stalker." Adam joked to break the ice of the serious conversation. "I've had my eyes on you for a while."

Blake already knew that. She had caught him staring at her during his meetings with his father and the other high-rank members of the White Fang on her house. It wasn't rare to have whitefangers on her house for meetings or even dinners with tenants and generals. She had seen him around sometimes but never said anything as she was used to the formalities and those kind of meetings were boring.

"Why didn't you approach me to talk? You had opportunities before." The cat faunus continued asking.

"Your father…" Adam didn't finish, Blake knew exactly her father's opinion about boys. "Right." Blake nodded, understanding everything.

The couple arrived at a dead end of the wood path. There was the sea in front of them and the moonlight reflected on the water. Blake was the first to sit on the wood and moved aside to pat the empty space beside her. Adam sat beside the cat faunus and drank some of his drink. They were totally alone, at the very end of the docks.

Next to the sea, the salty wind blew cold. Adam noticed Blake shivering each time the wind made her hair fly. Gently, he took off his long dark jacket and put it over her shoulders. The cat faunus gave him a small 'thank you' and embraced herself with the jacket on. It smelled really good, it contained Adam's purest scent.

"Did your parents let you go out alone?" Adam asked to mock her. Blake nodded. "What would they think if they knew you're with a male alone?" He continued.

"They wouldn't expect it, I guess." She replied, trying not to fall on his game, but Adam had experience and always knew how to beat people with words.

"Because you are a good girl." He continued teasing, earning a piercing glance from the cat faunus.

"And you are a bad boy." Blake replied, annoyed. Adam smirked. "Am I?" He asked back, amused.

"You are the kind of guy that causes trouble everywhere he goes." Blake replied with determination.

Blake's facial muscles untensed once his hand touched her jaw. He made her lift her glance up at him and she could stare at his smiling lips. He seemed proud to be called a bad influence, someone she shouldn't have any relation at all.

"Isn't that danger seductive?" Taurus asked, bringing her face closer. There was no longer a smile on his lips, only desire.

"I don't know…" The cat faunus muttered, enchanted by his warm touch and inviting lips.

With a hand on her lower back, the bull faunus pulled Blake closer to his body. She touched his chest and played with the buttons of his redshirt. But Adam didn't want her to be distracted so he held her face up with the other hand on her cheek. Belladonna didn't resist when his hand brought her to his face until her nose brushed his cheek. Then he stopped touching her and left the decision completely to Blake.

To kiss or not to kiss? His scent was possessing her faunus instincts and the contact skin to skin made Blake desire more touching from her date. When she was about to give in, remembered something: she wasn't an animal. With a last caress on Adam's jaw, Blake bent back, putting some space between them and letting the wind carry away his addictive male faunus scent.

"I don't kiss in blind dates." Blake replied as if she had any idea of dating at all, only amusing Taurus more.

"I only wanted to make you doubt." He replied. "I knew you wouldn't fall in temptation. Good girls are harder to seduce."

"You're unbearable." Blake sighed with a shy smirk, glad that she didn't let her instincts control her.

"Well, what about kissing on a second date?" Taurus proposed, pulling out his scroll from the pocket on his pants. "If you give me your number…"

Belladonna smiled at him. She wasn't used to masculine company and those little games Adam played were exciting. Belladonna couldn't say she liked Adam but she was looking forward to meeting another time with him. Finally, she decided to give him her scroll number so he could call and text her. The cat faunus watched Adam's eyes shine as she opened the scroll to give him her number. Blake for the first time recognized joy on him, and it suited him better than the false image of a reckless rogue.

"Here…" Blake muttered, tipping her number on his scroll, adding the contact as Blake on the archive. Once she was registered, went back to the principal menu and saw the big numbers on the screen. "Look at the time!"

Adam looked up to the sky. "Well, it's just a bit cloudy tonight." He joked but stopped smiling when saw Blake panicking, returning him his jacket and getting up to go. "What's wrong with the time?" He reserved a joke about bedtime for himself.

"My father can't know that I was out. The meeting finished half an hour ago!" Blake explained and started walking away but Adam got up too and followed her. "Oh, he surely is already at home! What can I tell him?!" The cat faunus continued meeting for herself with urge.

"Darling, calm down." Adam said, trying to pick up her pace. "You've never been in trouble before?"

Belladonna hissed and sighed, stressed, massaging her forehead while thinking hard. Then she turned to face the bull faunus and told him:

"I knew you would give me problems!" She sentenced, blaming him.

"I'm only guilty of making you forget the time." Taurus replied, not bothered by Blake's accusations. "Sign that you had a good time with me, huh?" He flirted but the cat faunus, willing to initiate her way back home started to walk rapidly.

"Maybe Ilia would cover my back…After all, she involved me in this mess." Blake muttered, thinking hard about something to tell her parents. Nevertheless, when she thought about tonight's date an unconscious smile was drawn on her lips.

Adam's gloved hand touched her shoulder. Blake slowed down her steps and turned slightly. "Let me accompany you home." He tried to convince her.

Well, his charms worked and Belladonna slowly nodded, seduced by his soft-spoken words. She couldn't deny it, that gentle attitude really suited him. Adam stood close and Blake continued walking with the established pace. Nevertheless, the bull faunus slowly was left behind her quick steps. He didn't seem someone slow, but when Blake turned saw that he was just distracted and admiring the night.

"Adam, hurry!" Blake called him, but he didn't make the intention to pick up the pace. She continued walking forward and at a certain distance turned to see him again. He was standing in the same place, looking at some bushes. Blake didn't know if she had to laugh or cry. "Adam! I will leave you behind if you don't hurry!" She threatened.

That threat seemed to catch his attention. "What did you say? I can't hear you from here!" Adam mocked from the distance.

The cat faunus sighed and walked back. "I'm late already! Do you really want to come with me?!" Blake asked, not understanding his behavior.

Nevertheless, the moment she held his hand, Adam started to walk. Blake kept her mouth closed while seeing that he was walking by her side. His fingers unconsciously tightened her hand in a secure way. Adam remained silent, close to her with only one condition: holding hands. Or that was what Blake figured, she wasn't willing to ask him anyway. Taurus saw the doubt placed on the cat faunus expression.

"I was just trying to make the night longer." He explained, Blake's eyes opened in surprise for his words. "I really want to spend more time with you."

"I promise that we'll meet again soon." Blake sentenced, she also wanted to spend more time with him, he amused her and at the same time made her feel a hurricane in her stomach. "But you have to comprehend that I have certain rules I need to respect…" The cat faunus continued, making reference to how he mocked the rules her parents put. It was the first date and she already broke two: exiting the house without permission and arriving late.

The couple of faunus arrived at the end of the path of Kuo Kuana, where the Belladonna Manor was standing. Behind the house there were the dusty mountains of the desert and near there was the White Fang headquarter. Blake opened the metallic fence that led inside the perimeter of the house and the garden. Nevertheless, she didn't close it and turned to face Adam, leaning in the half-open fence.

"Thank you for giving me an opportunity." Taurus muttered and let go of Blake's hand. She suddenly felt the coldness of the night on her fingers. Without his touch, it felt empty. "I will call you next week, alright?"

Blake preferred that sensitive and gentle Adam over the over-confident and flirty one. To show him her gratitude, Belladonna approached him and stood on her toes to place a brief kiss on his cheek. She heard a surprised gasp coming out from the bull faunus. When she stood before him again Adam saw the rose blush on her cheeks. He knew she liked him.

"Don't get in much trouble, darling." Adam finally said, not wanting her to leave but having to accept it.

"I hope not." The cat faunus smiled and closed the fence that stood between them. She knew that Adam would be watching her until she entered the house so she turned and gave him a last word accompanied with a slight movement of her hand. "Goodnight."

She didn't hear a reply, maybe it was just because of the wind. His glance was nailed on her back until she crossed the door that led inside her house.

* * *

Blake heard the constant hitting of the pencil with the wood of the table. Her father was angry, no, not angry, deceived. It was worse for her to know that she had failed her father's expectations. She understood that she did wrong by leaving the house when she was supposed to stay and watch it. But the real reason why Ghira was angry was another.

"What did you do last night? Where did you go?" Ghira asked, having discussed previously her disobedience.

Belladonna swallowed saliva and searched for support in her mother, who was sitting on the sofa of the office, but she wouldn't give her daughter any comfort. The cat faunus knew she couldn't tell them that she had a date with an older guy. Her father wouldn't let her go outside nevermore if he knew it. What Blake ignored was that Ghira was more aware of the situation than she thought.

"I went to the Inn with Ilia. I had fun and I lost the sense of time." Blake lied. "I knew leaving wasn't a good decision and I admit my fault." The cat faunus sentenced, wanting to get out of her father's office as soon as she could.

Nevertheless, Ghira had just started with the questions and he wouldn't let his daughter leave until he heard the truth from her mouth. He knew all she was told were lies and also noticed that Blake really regretted going out last night. But scolding her was his duty as a father.

"Ilia was in the White Fang headquarter last night." Ghira revealed, making his daughter's heart race. "You went out with someone else. Give me his name."

At that point, Blake figured out that last night her father had seen Adam accompanying her home. He had said the pronoun 'him' and if he was making her stay for so long she assumed he knew everything.

"I was supposed to meet her there but she didn't show up." Blake explained the truth. "Then I met one of her friends and I spent some time with him."

Ghira sighed and left the pencil on the table, stopping the repeatedly hits on the wood that made little Belladonna be even more nervous.

"Adam Taurus." Ghira sentenced.

Blake nodded to confirm her father's words. The chieftain of Menagerie sighed and got up from his seat. He sat on the sofa next to his wife, in front of their daughter. Belladonna had never thought that the 'talk' would be like that. But the reasons for their parents' concern went further than faunus mating and healthy relationships.

"Adam Taurus is not someone who you should trust at all." Ghira started. "He has done terrible things before and I'm sure that he hasn't learned the limits yet."

Little Belladonna felt a cold chill running down her spine. She understood that her father was asking her to stay away from him and avoid him but what she wanted to know was why her father would talk about Adam like that. Yes, he was the typical rebel type of boy and had a special charm. Any protective father would warn their daughter about him. But Ghira's words meant more than he was telling.

"What are you talking about, dad?" Ghira glanced at Kali, who just shrugged. "What did he do?"

Blake's father rubbed his forehead and stared hard at his daughter. He believed Blake could manage everything he hadn't told her:

"He killed a human, Blake." Ghira finally let out. "He didn't show compassion or regret and the others just praised him, he believed he was a hero for doing so and-..." Kali placed her hand over her husband's shoulder to calm him. Ghira stopped talking and stared at Blake, who was surprised, with her eyes in an undefined point of the room.

"Sweetheart, just promise us you won't have any type of relationship with him." Kali asked their daughter, who seemed terrified by the fact that Adam had murdered somebody.

"I had no idea." Blake finally replied, her hopes of having found an ideal partner breaking in millions of pieces. She thought Adam was a good guy deep down… but the bad boy vibes weren't just an impression. He would give her trouble if she called him. The cat faunus pulled put her scroll and searched for his number, then pressed the 'erase' button. His contact disappeared from her list and Blake turned off the scroll. "I won't contact him anymore. It's over." She sentenced.

Blake was so immersed in her deception that she didn't even hear the thankful words of her father as she left for a meeting with the faunus council. She was left alone in her father's office, assimilating that all Adam made that night during their date were just lies. There was no way he could be so gentle and at the same time a cold-blooded murderer. It was hard to come by but it was the true fact: her relationship with Adam would never work. All it would cause her were troubles.

Her mother came into the office with a tea tray, bringing some cookies for her daughter. Kali noticed how blue her daughter was, probably because of what Ghira told her about that boy she liked. Kali left the tea tray in the table and served her daughter some, handing the cup to her. Her only reply was a soft smile.

"Oh, sweetheart. You'll have to meet so many men before you find the one." Kali comforted her. "I know you liked him but the best is to let him go. He is not a good influence."

"I know, mom." Little Belladonna replied, drinking some tea from the cup. "But the things he made me feel were so special… I guess it was just an illusion."

"Of course, sweetie. Men always try to make you feel special at first but after a few years that magic fades unless you're with the right person." Kali explained to her daughter.

The cat faunus was caught in a warm hug by her caring mother. One of those also cheered her mood as nobody could understand her better than her mother. She could feel the early signs of the fading butterflies on her stomach, she couldn't continue thinking about Adam that way, not after she heard that he had committed a crime.

"Why don't we go to the living room and have a cold lemon tea?" Her mother proposed after breaking the hug.

* * *

Belladonna unconsciously started avoiding Ilia. She always spoke about Adam and in good ways. She defended his behavior and the actions he did on the day a human died because of him.

"I've told you twice, Blake. That human was shooting against us, he could have killed your father!" Was one of the sentences she repeated the most during their almost daily encounters.

But Blake still couldn't trust her words. She couldn't believe somebody could cross the barriers her father had put inside the White Fang. Violence was never the solution, killing would only make faunus look like the monsters some humans believed they were. How could she even speak to someone like Adam? A cold-blooded murderer who didn't feel regret for his actions.

The cat faunus couldn't lie to herself either. She had fallen for him or maybe it just was because he was the only male faunus that had shown interest for her and that had treated her well. Maybe it also was because she was a Belladonna and he wanted to be promoted inside the White Fang. Being friends of a Belladonna would benefit him directly. Blake tried to convince herself that he wanted to go out with her because of his own interest, that way she would be hurt and wouldn't even consider forgiving her or seeing him again.

Blake had spent staring at the ceiling of her bedroom for a while, thinking about everything once more. It was a cycle that she couldn't get out of her head. She was so immersed that she didn't even hear the gunshots on her garden.

"What's that?" She spoke for herself, now noticing the shots.

Blake covered her pajamas with a silk coat she used when she had to wake up and before getting dressed. She parted the curtains to see outside the window. Opening the door, she stepped out to her balcony and looked down at the enormous garden of the Belladonna manor. Some White Fang trainees were shooting at colorful objectives on the tree palms. Since when her peaceful garden was a shooting field?

The cat faunus returned inside her bedroom before being noticed by the trainees. She got dressed quickly in a very comfortable purple dress which was gifted to her for her birthday a few months ago. Since in Menagerie the weather was so hot all she could wear during the day to resist the heat were light dresses. On her back she had to tie the bows connected to the dress to wrap it tightly around her waist, making a beautiful belt with the silky texture of her own dress. She put on her sandals, quickly combed her hair and went downstairs to the living room where she found her mother bringing the dishes of the breakfast to the kitchen. The spot where Blake usually sat was untouched. On weekends she was free to sleep until the hour she wanted so they didn't have breakfast together.

"Mum!" Blake yelled, quickly descending downstairs. "Where's dad?" She asked, he would be the one to give her the exact answers she demanded.

"In his office, but he is busy." Kali replied politely. "Have breakfast first and maybe for then he will be done."

Blake nodded without complaining. She didn't even hesitate and stood on her feet to quickly drink her tea and grab the two chocolate cookies her mother had baked that morning, or that could tell for the delicious smell of coming from the kitchen. Belladonna ate her cookies on the way to her father's office. He was always busy for visits during the weekends and the rest of the week he had to organize events and do paperwork. He was solicited and as chieftain had an important paper on the island, but he always found time to chat with Blake, she had no doubt about it.

Nevertheless, when Blake crossed the door that led outside of the house to access her father's office, she found herself involved in a messy situation. Standing in the middle on her garden, yelling orders to the subordinates there was Adam.

How couldn't she not expect that he would be there? Of course he would! The trainees were doing practices on her house's garden. They needed a leader to command them and that person was Adam.

"Oh, please, don't turn..." Blake begged insanely inside her head. She knocked on her father's office door. "Dad? Dad?!" She said with urge, wanting to go inside and avoid being seen.

Her father came out of the office just a few seconds later. He half-opened the door, with the intention to keep his business exclusively inside the office and not involve his family.

"Sweetheart, right now I'm very busy." He assured. Blake could hear the voices of male faunus discussing inside the office. Ghira glanced at the White Fang trainees on the garden and then stared at his daughter. "Go back inside with your mother, won't you?"

"Yes, dad." Little Belladonna had no other choice than nod and obey. "We'll talk during dinner." Her father sentenced and locked the door behind him.

Blake sighed and exhausted leaned her head against the wall. Why was she even that nervous about the Whitefangers' presence on her house? Maybe it had been just the gunshots interrupting the usual peace of her house, the only place she felt completely safe. Her questions weren't answered and that didn't have any solution for now, at least not until noon.

"Miss Belladonna." A familiar voice greeted behind her. A simple thought crossed her mind: 'Oh, no…'

Blake turned just to meet Adam's mask. The sight gave her chills, it was weird. She preferred to stare at his true face despite the brand. Surely if he retired the mask from his face the mere reflection of his blue eyes would fade away the fear that seemed to suddenly control the stability of her body. She was trembling and he wasn't making it easy for her to recover her posture.

"I'm still waiting for you to answer my call…" He said, putting his hands on the wall on each side of her head to prevent her from leaving. "Such rudeness for your part." He added.

Belladonna knew there was no point in lying to him and telling that she hadn't had time to call him back. Telling the truth would be humiliating but that would solve the situation.

"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to meet you anymore." Blake confessed. Taurus knew the reason why and hid his true feelings after hearing her words.

"I thought good girls were never punished." Adam mocked, making Blake's breath tremble. "Your dad doesn't approve of me, I see."

Before she could leave, he placed his hands on both sides of her waist, blocking a way to escape from both sides. Behind her, she had the wall and in front, his body so there was nowhere else to run. Her sight had given Adam a hint of her awkwardness as she searched for a way out so he leaned forward and closer to catch her attention. He wanted her focused on him.

"So you were caught when you returned home." He commented, randomly playing with a lock of her raven hair. "You still owe me a first kiss." He reminded her with a playful smirk.

Belladonna had to take her eyes off his seductive lips. He was too good to resist… in a bad way, of course. She didn't want to see him, and even less after learning what he did to a human: kill mercilessly. He had cold blood running through his veins and those charms he used with her were just an illusion. Blake decided not to mention the murdered human to not provoke any intense emotion on him. After all, her priority was to escape the situation and run from him. Not discuss his past and ideologies.

"Adam, my father is inside…" Belladonna reminded him, everything happening outside could be heard from his office.

"Isn't it exciting?" He continued mocking and playing with her. Blake had to make a great effort to remain still and not smile at his flirty intentions. But the butterflies inside her stomach were making it very difficult…

"Why didn't you tell me that you killed a human?" Belladonna moved straight to the topic. He deserved at least one opportunity to explain himself.

"Because I didn't think that could have impressed you." He mocked, continuing with his flirty lines.

"This is serious, Adam." Her severe expression faded his smirk and when Blake was sure he was focused on the conversation she continued: "How can a person be capable to kill another?"

Belladonna didn't like to judge people's acts and much less if she barely knew them. But that occasion was special and she needed to hear something that could excuse Taurus' violent actions. Ilia kept assuring her he made it in self-defense, maybe her father just told her he was a cold murdered to not have anybody around her, just for his daughter's protection.

"I was protecting my kind. That human was armed and could have killed your father." He answered, very slowly, wanting to enter Blake' mind and convince her. "This only shows how far I would go to protect the ones I care about."

His point was valid and unconsciously Blake didn't want to stay away from Adam. Maybe it was because she had fallen for him blindly or because he was so dangerous that his presence was seductive. Having a so boring life Blake wanted to experience more and have some fun, test her nerves, feel the adrenaline running through her veins, make mistakes...

"How can I be sure that I can trust you?" The cat faunus asked.

"Have a real date with me." He sentenced. "Let's know each other better and you'll see I'm not a demon like your father must have told you."

Belladonna's cat ears twitched as she hears how the faunus inside her father's office were about to leave. She needed to hurry and make a choice or she would be scolded by her father again. Taurus seemed to read her thoughts and smirked mischievously.

"Meet me tonight and bring me somewhere fancy." The cat faunus sentenced.

Taurus leaned forward, closer to her face and stopped when his nose almost touched hers. "You're such a rebel girl." He mocked.

The cat faunus heard the door slipping to one side so the people could exit the office and using her semblance, Blake pushed Adam away and she left, entering her house before anyone could see her with the bull faunus.

Taurus was shocked by her stealthy skills and being so distracted forgot about the people staring at him, one of them being Mr. Belladonna.

"Is everything in order, Mr. Taurus?" Blake's father asked in an authoritarian tone.

"Yes, sir." Taurus asked, his face rigid, hiding the dislike he felt for Ghira.

"Then get out of my house and return to the shooting field." Ghira ordered, knowing something had just happened between her daughter and Taurus, but Blake was out of sight.

* * *

Belladonna had to be careful and sneak out of the manor to not catch the guards' attention. Her parents were already asleep for then so the nocturne vigilance was her only threat that being so familiar with its routine she could avoid easily, finding a way out through the bottom of their enormous garden. She waited in the barrier between the wastelands and Kuo Kuana, right in the spot were Adam had told her to wait. It didn't take long for her solitude to disappear when she heard the particular sound of a motorcycle approaching. The cat faunus' cat ears bent down due to the noisy engine and covered her eyes because of the light approaching. Could it be…?

"Hey beautiful." A too familiar voice said as the engine of the motorcycle was stopped. "Looking for a ride?"

The cat faunus uncovered her eyes and found a rather edgy Adam getting off his red and black motorcycle. How fitting. Of course, the dark sunglasses and the leather jacket with his rose motive on its back couldn't be missing. He really looked badass and rebel, like one of the boys on the romantic novels Blake read. Her imaginative head and teenage hormones couldn't be ignored and she started to fantasize what would it be to have one romantic date with him. Something that actually was about to happen.

"Motorcycle, sunglasses and a leather jacket." She tried to make her best act, not showing that she was impressed by his hot looks. "Why doesn't it surprise me?"

"Are you implying that I'm a cliché?" Taurus mocked back, letting out a slight chuckle. "How rude, Miss Belladonna."

Adam observed her attire. She was dressed quite provocative compared with her usual clothing. If her father could see her dressed like that… She was wearing high heel black boots that reached the beginning of her knees. Her black jeans tightened her slim figure, made of a material very similar to the leather of his jacket. However, the most stunning sight of her was her upper-body. She was wearing a purple crop top with long sleeves but showing some skin on her chest, a teasy sight that left a lot to his active imagination. Her hair was down and wild, a little wavy than he remembered from the last time he had seen her on the Belladonna manor.

"Cut it out, bad boy." She mocked back, having decided earlier that she wouldn't fall for his attitude. "There's no way I'm getting on that thing." Belladonna sentenced, secretly being afraid of that kind of vehicles and not trusting Adam enough as a driver.

"Oh, what is it, baby girl?" He continued teasing, approaching Blake, holding her chin up so their eyes could meet, ceasing all the shy glances and blushing messes. Nevertheless, the use of that pet name made Blake's heart skip a beat. "You're not brave enough to turn into a rebel girl just for one night?"

"Maybe." Blake replied, not very convinced with herself either. "What's the plan for tonight?"

"I'm bringing you to a fancy club." Taurus said, surprising the cat faunus who wasn't a party girl. Maybe it was time to try new things. "But we won't get there unless you get in the motorcycle."

Belladonna's eyes traveled to the monstrosity that the bull faunus called his motorcycle. He was amused by her frightened face.

"I'll let you hold onto me." Adam tried once more, convincing the girl who had no other choice. He came closer and leaned near the cat ears on top of her head. "Even under the jacket if you want."

"Just holding you will be enough." Blake immediately sentenced, her heart racing for his last sentence. She stared back at the vehicle. "Well, turn this thing on."

Taurus chuckled as if Blake had told him the funniest joke in all the island. She froze and tried to guess what was so funny, fearing it was one of his teasing strategies that would end annoying her in a playful way.

"Don't think you'll get a free ride on my motorcycle." He said, leaning on its seat with one hand, looking over the cat faunus' body.

"Is that what you do with all the girls you seduce?" Belladonna teased, not allowing him to have full command of the situation, showing she was not as shy and innocent as he thought. "You still haven't charmed me." She reminded him.

"Time to time, Belladonna." He said with his cocky attitude that Blake faked to despise but deep down amused him. "You owe me a kiss. It's our second date."

That was right. Although he had played with their conversation to reach that conclusion, Blake remembered his words the night they met for the first time.

"Let's go and find out if you deserve one." The cat faunus sentenced, managing to control the situation and avoid a forced contact. She still needed some romanticism and courtship.

"Don't play like that with me, darling." He faked being hurt, rubbing the area where his heart was. "I've been waiting for this opportunity for too long. Especially long because of your father."

Blake instinctively looked up at the Belladonna manor and the darkness in the window of her parents' bedroom. What would they think if they found out that she had disobeyed their specific orders about cutting every contact with Taurus?

"I know. I-..." She was completely speechless. Adam had won this time.

"Hey." He called her out, seeing the sudden preoccupation. "Tonight we'll have fun, forget about that. Come on." He held out his hand at her.

Blake accepted his hand and gave him a soft smile. He led her to his motorcycle and he got on, waiting for her to sit behind him. The cat faunus hesitated but passed her leg to the other side of the vehicle and put her feet in the same platform as Taurus' were. Then she embraced Adam's torso and felt how he tightened the grip to make her be closer and safer. His gloves broke the contact with her hands as he turned on the engine, making the motorcycle roar furiously, making Blake's cat ears bend down to protect themselves from the loud noise. He accelerated brutally in purpose and she reacted by tightening the grip on his torso. Taurus smiled and started driving, being careful to not startle her more than necessary.

When they reached their destiny, Taurus turned off the engine. However, when he tried to get off the motorcycle, he found the cat faunus still clinging to him and with her eyes tightly closed. Now that he wasn't driving he noticed that she was trembling. He was sure that she didn't dare to move an eyelash during the short traject. The sight was quite adorable.

"We're here, baby girl." The bull faunus mocked, smirking at her surprised and embarrassed face. She tried to hide the blush and let go of him, giving back his liberty to get off the motorcycle. "Did you have fun?" He asked, the mischievous smirk on his lips.

"I-..." Belladonna was speechless as she combed her hair with her own fingers, staring at the mirror on the left side of the motorcycle. "Don't call me that, Taurus." She sentenced, serious, trying to regain some respect from him.

The brilliant purple lights coming out from the club caught the cat faunus' attention. She didn't even hear Adam's reply as she got off the motorcycle and contemplated the building. She could perceive the music inside the disco with her extra pair of faunus ears, worrying about the loud volume and her cat ears' health. Outside the building, there was a long queue of faunus waiting to enter, a sign that the club was tendency between the young faunus of the island. Gods, her father would kill her if he knew...

"We have VIP passes." He took pride on it, showing two golden tickets that could allow them and guarantee the privileged access inside.

The cat faunus nodded, not knowing well how the access in clubs worked. She walked beside Taurus towards the entrance, passing through the queue. There were so many faunus and the females, especially, were so beautiful and exotic, dressed sexy and with vibrant makeup.

"How many girls have you brought here already?" That question crossed her mind and she dared to ask, guessing that he was a womanizer.

"You're the first one." He received an incredulous look from the cat faunus. "It's up to you if you believe it or not. I prefer coming here with male colleagues but I thought you'd like seeing this place." He explained, assuming certainly that she had never been in a disco like that one.

The couple got on the entrance where a pair of bodyguards were standing. The sight of them was intimidating and they sure seemed strong. However, with only showing the VIP passes, they allowed them the entrance. The music got louder as they went inside, the lights more brilliant and the space more crowded. The electro-music filled the dancefloor and a big disco ball sent its bright light everywhere. Adam made her stop in front of one stairs that led to an upper floor, like an internal balcony. Belladonna could see the letters "VIP" in gold, it was the exclusive area.

"Up here the ambiance is more relaxed but if you want we can return down and dance later." Taurus reminded her as they went upstairs, two guards sealing the access upstairs behind them.

Belladonna held Adam's hand as he guided her upstairs. The VIP zone was a luxurious area with velvety seats, its own bar and a few faunus having fun and drinking sophisticated cocktails.

"I'd like to try one of those." Blake said, noticing that the music was more mellow and she didn't have to scream for Adam to hear her voice.

It was better being up there than on the dance floor, her ears didn't hurt that much due to the electro music. Adam nodded and brought the cat faunus to the bartender. Behind him, there was a shelf with a lot of colored bottles and distinct drinks. Belladonna didn't know what to chose as everything seemed so exotic. She stared at Taurus to tell him with a glance that she didn't know what to ask for.

"Something sweet for the lovely lady." Adam said to the bartender, giving him one ticket as an exchange for the drink. "For me the usual." He added, giving him another one.

The bartender started grabbing the bottles with colored liquids inside and put two glasses on the counter for the couple to see how the cocktails were made in life. He started with Blake's drink, adding two cubes of brown sugar at the bottom of the glass and then pouring some vodka for the base of the drink. Adam could see her nose moving due to the strong smell of the alcohol.

"They don't serve alcohol-free drinks, darling." Adam warned.

"It's okay for one night I guess." She immediately replied, seeing how the rest of her glass was filled with a pink liquid that had pieces of strawberries inside.

"Well, that's the spirit." The bartender said, giving the cat faunus her drink, adding a mint leaf inside.

It was Adam's drink turn. He had told the bartender to prepare him the usual, a sign that maybe they were friends. His drink had more alcohol than hers on it, it was fair because he was used to drinking and she wasn't. After the vodka, the bartender poured blue liquid that seemed some kind of berries and mint extract. They clearly had different tastes on flavors.

"Here you go, Taurus." Then the bartender stared at the cat faunus. "Have fun." He said, referring to his companion.

The couple sat on a big sofa with a crystal table in front of it. Blake laid beside Adam leaning her torso against his arm as they cheered and tasted the drinks. Belladonna had never tasted something so sweet in her life. It almost masked the flavor of the alcohol with the pieces of fruit. She was so thirsty and had her mouth so dry due to the nervousness that she finished her drink at once. Taurus instead, gave a small slurp because the drink was strong and he needed time to keep his head straight and get to know his date better. However, she seemed to have another idea of the night as he watched how she left the empty glass on the table.

"I don't think that was a good idea." Taurus said, observing how she immediately was more relaxed due to the first symptoms of the alcohol on her body. "If you drink so fast you'll be wasted in no time."

The cat faunus covered her mouth with her hand and let out a small 'whoops'. She really had no idea about parties and alcohol. But for one night she just wanted to enjoy the moment and have some fun.

Blake and Adam talked about different topics until she felt light-headed. She joked about his flirty charms and he followed her game, mocking her father's strict rules in a playful way. Then he got more seductive and praised her looks, trying to win her affection with subtle compliments that made her blush.

"What does it feel like to be the most beautiful girl in this room?" He leaned closer and plucked a tug of her raven hair behind her human ear. "Did I earn a kiss or not?" He whispered, Belladonna giggling because of the light sensation on her body due to the drink and the tingles that his hot breath made.

"Yeah, you did." The cat faunus sentenced, daring to caress his jaw with her fingertips.

Meanwhile, a third person joined the VIP section of the party and quickly spotted the flirty couple sitting on one of the large sofas. Their drinks were finished and they were sensually leaning on each other, their faces very close, lips about to meet. However, before that encounter could happen, Ilia left loudly her drink on the crystal table, being that enough to make the couple snap out of their loving desire.

"Amitola." Taurus growled, annoyed because of his interrupted kiss.

"Hey, Ilia!" Blake said happily, clearly influenced because of the alcohol. That calmed the bull faunus down. "This is very fun! Don't you think?" The cat faunus continued, surprising her friend because of her open attitude.

"What did you give her?" Amitola asked Adam, noticing Blake's empty glass on the table. "What kind of person ends like this with a single drink?" She exclaimed.

"A person who has never tasted alcohol." Belladonna replied before he could, leaving some space on the sofa and patting its velvety surface. "Come here and sit with us, is that alright, Adam?"

Taurus nodded and the chameleon faunus sat without hesitating.

"Now that we're all together, you two could start telling me how did you manage to fool me so I would meet Adam in the Inn." Belladonna proposed.

Amitola began the funny story as Adam worried about her choice of words. He swore a few times that he didn't only want to meet Blake because of her looks or position as the daughter of the High Leader but also for her friendship with Ilia and her mysterious aura that seduced him. However, the cat faunus was too busy laughing at Ilia's narration to listen to Taurus' explanations. She didn't even bother about his attraction for her seeming only physical. At the moment, she was too drunk to care at least just for then. The conversation topic flew away as they asked for another round of drinks, except for Blake who was too done with alcohol. They shared a few laughs and then accorded to go down to the common dance floor to dance to the sound of music.

Belladonna had never felt so alive. It was like ripping all the burdens off her shoulders. The weight of her responsibilities as the daughter of the High Leader and chieftain of the island faded away. For once, she was on her own with new people, having fun in an unknown club. She used to plan everything she did and getting out of the routine, thanks to Adam's spontaneity, made her some good. First, she danced with Adam, his hands on her hips as their bodies were intimately pressed together. The warmth of the alcohol and their bodies granted Blake some comfort and she meditated a few times about giving him one kiss, but she didn't dare and Taurus wouldn't push her, just tease her once in a while to get on her nerves. Once the music changed to something more energetic, Belladonna literally dragged her chameleon friend to the dance floor and the three friends danced carelessly.

They didn't return to the VIP zone upstairs until their skin had a thin layer of sweat. The night was hot and young and the hours flew quickly away. Blake slowly felt the effects of the alcohol vanishing as the intense exercise while dancing had helped her clear her mind, but physically she was still tipsy as she has to hold onto Adam and Ilia while going upstairs. The three faunus friends had the intention to return to the same velvety sofa where they met, but it was already occupied by some unfamiliar faces for Blake and Ilia. But not for Adam.

"What's wrong?" Amitola asked, whose body reacted better than Blake's due to the alcohol. Taurus' facial expression had changed dramatically.

The two guys sitting on their favorite spot of the VIP zone seemed unfriendly. Ilia would have sworn that she knew them from somewhere, probably from the White Fang. However, their aura was dark, they were looking for trouble and Taurus was about to fall into their provocations as he was tightening his fist closed.

"Tyrian, Yuma." Adam greeted, cautious with the tone he used. He had treated them before, they were the kind of faunus he needed to avoid at all costs if he didn't want another expedient for fights open. "There's plenty of sofas around, why should you occupy ours?"

"It's alright. We can move to another." Blake suddenly intervened before Ilia could warn her. The sight of the cat faunus softly rubbing Adam's shoulder made Tyrian smirk.

"So you've finally conquered the chieftain's daughter's heart." Yuma mocked, having the same exact thoughts as Tyrian. They had just found a weak point to attack and get on the bull faunus' nerves. "She shouldn't be an easy prey like the others, huh?" He kept pushing and pushing Adam mentally.

Seeing that the pair of male faunus wanted to keep on pushing Taurus' buttons, Ilia unconsciously pulled Blake's arm so she returned a few steps backward. The cat faunus had never experienced a violent situation like that one and that encounter wouldn't be pleasant at all, it wasn't hard to guess.

"It's not your business." The bull faunus spat threateningly. Tyrian and Yuma were two members of the White Fang as him. They had also aspired to the position Adam had now, a trainer. But their lack of skills and bad reputation had given automatically the job to Taurus. It was then when the rivalry was born. "Now leave." He ordered as a last resource, as a bull faunus he had his blood boiling and the minimum small impulse would make him explode. That was what they wanted to achieve.

"You'll have to make us." Tyrian laughed, getting up from the seat and stepping forward with Yuma, mimicking as well Adam's actions.

Ilia and little Belladonna saw a battle about to be unleashed. The chameleon faunus was prudent and didn't dare to stand with Adam as she had heard about some other conflicts involving the three male faunus. Nevertheless, Blake's kind heart couldn't help but make her step forward and restrain Adam with a crushing hug from his back.

"Stop. It's not worth it." Blake begged, holding Adam's strong body closer.

"Let go, darling." Taurus asked with a strange dark tone was on his voice. "This is something between us."

Ilia pulled Belladonna away from Adam so the three men could solve their issues without any intervention. The chameleon faunus had experienced fights between White Fang members before and the last thing she wanted was Blake being involved in one of those. But Taurus, Tyrian, and Yuma weren't regular members of the organization. They were top members, strong and that also implied their great competitivity. However, despite the tense ambiance and the people noticing the upcoming fight, Blake didn't give up and while Tyrian stood in front of Adam, she approached Yuma to try and convince him to leave them alone.

"Is it so hard to just enjoy the party?" The cat faunus tried to reason with him but it only made the bat faunus laugh.

"Is it so hard for you to not sound pathetic, little girl?" Yuma replied and pushed Blake backward until her feet lost the equilibrium.

Taurus heard the sound of one of the crystal tables being broken. He turned to see how Blake had been the one impacting with it, she had several pieces piercing her arms and legs and Ilia was shocked, trying to help her. The bull faunus' blood boiled and ran towards Yuma, the one who hurt his beloved Belladonna to defend her. The product of the encounter had been inevitable: a fight.

While the two male faunus and Adam fought, the people on the VIP zone ran and got out before the security guards intervened and called the cops. Ilia saw how Blake was still more preoccupied about Adam's fight than her own well-being. Her clothes were starting to be stained with her own blood as she struggled to get up and try to end the conflict.

"Blake, please! Let's leave or we will be in trouble as well!" Ilia yelled louder than Blake's begs that tried to stop the fight. Amitola grabbed both cheeks of her best friend and made her face her eyes. "Let's go, you can't do anything to change the situation!"

That last sentence seemed to grant the cat faunus some reasonament. As the music of the club stopped due to the panic that the fight caused, the two friends managed to go downstairs and join the crew that was exiting the disco, camouflaging between the other faunus despite Blake's bloody arms and legs. The cat faunus gave one last look upstairs and saw two guards dressed in black trying to separate the three members of the White Fang. Party was over.

It was once outside that the cat faunus started sensing the pain of her wounds. Blake fell to her knees and flinched when one of the small pieces nailed on her legs dug deeper into her skin. How was she supposed to return home like that?! In the middle of the street she wouldn't find any aid, and less at that time of the early morning. Ilia was the only companion left, who also kneeled down and tried to evaluate the damage on her friend's body.

"We shouldn't have left Adam behind! What are we going to do now?!" Belladonna panicked, realizing that they were in big trouble.

Firstly, she had escaped home without her parents knowing. Secondly, she had accepted going out with the boy her parents had forbidden her to meet again. And now, they had been involved in a club fight and they were alone and hurt. Blake knew she had messed up and that she wouldn't be able to climb her way up to the window of her bedroom back in the Belladonna Manor. Her parents would know everything and she would have lost their trust… Regrets started to torment the cat faunus' mind as the chameleon faunus tried to make her react and find a solution to at least heal her friend's body. There was no way Blake could hide those bruises from her parents, she would get caught one way or another.

"Don't worry about Adam, look at yourself, Blake!" Amitola tried to reason with the still shocked cat faunus who couldn't think straight. Her whole world was crumbling to pieces as she thought of the inevitable consequences. "Drunk and hurt… Ghira will kill me…" The chameleon faunus muttered for herself.

The previous madness derived from the fight inside the club slowly faded. Faunus left slowly when they decided where to continue the party as if nothing happened. If the panic ambiance was bad, the lonely and uncertain one was worse. Blake and Ilia were alone in the streets of one of the nocturne neighborhoods. The club had stopped the music a while ago so the silence filled each corner of those dark streets. The Belladonna Manor was far, at the other side of the island, they would have to walk for while to reach there but with Blake drunk, hurt and on high heels, Ilia suspected that it would take longer than expected. The red-haired faunus stared at how Belladonna tried to sit on the grass without hurting herself with the crystal alcohol camouflaged the pain but once Blake returned to her senses she would probably have a bad time. They needed a solution, right there.

"Hold on, I think we could maybe stay in my house…" Ilia proposed as Blake rubbed her own face with her palms and ruined her fancy makeup. The cat faunus shook her head and hid a sob, the dizziness still on her body.

"Call my father, it's the only solution…" The brunette friend sentenced, handing her scroll to Ilia. "We can't hide what happened in this club. He'll find out one way or another." The matureness seemed to return to the cat faunus' head, taking the most secure decision.

"Are you sure, Blake?" Amitola asked a second time in case her best friend needed to think about it twice, but her bitter expression didn't show any doubt.

"Just be ready for the scolding." Blake gave the chameleon faunus a last advice before she marked Ghira's number on the scroll.

* * *

Adam was expelled from the club a while later. He had a swollen cheek, a bloody lip and his fists were tainted purple. Yuma and Tyrian had given him a number but the result for them had been worse, Taurus still considered himself the winner of the violent encounter. The adrenaline was still running through his veins, but his blood slowly stopped boiling, returning him some sense back to his brain. He looked around and found the street empty, the queue had disappeared and the security guards that had managed to control the fight inside were leaving the club as well. Party was over and there was nobody left.

"Where did I park my motorc-... Gods, where is Blake?!" His memory triggered and the adrenaline ran through his body once more, realizing that his date was nowhere to be found, Ilia neither.

Would she have left? Maybe she was with Ilia or maybe she had decided to return to her parents' manor ready to be punished for that night's disobedience. She was also wounded, Adam wouldn't let go of her like that, he needed to see her even if she was angry or scared of him because of the previous violence. He really didn't know her that well but his pride couldn't ignore her state. he wasn't just somebody ordinary, even his position on the White Fang could result affected if her father decided to take larger strides with him.

Adam was willing to risk it all for her. He would search Blake and Ilia and as a last resource would drive back to the Belladonna Manor to accept the consequences of that night. And so he did, he found his motorcycle alone on the parking zone and drove through the nocturnal streets of the neighborhood of the island. He found the rest of the faunus that had been in the same club as them on the queue of another club near the docks. There were no traces of the two friends neither, he also doubted they wanted to continue partying somewhere else, Blake was severely wounded, she couldn't have gotten so far. Taurus continued and moved to Ilia's house, the lights were turned off and he knocked twice, but they weren't there as well.

There was only left one last option: The Belladonna Manor. And if Blake had managed to arrive at her home safely it hadn't been Ilia and her alone but with the aid of her father. He would have to face Ghira Belladonna, chieftain of the island and High Leader of the Fang… Taurus was sure that it would be worse if he didn't show up to assume his choices. he also wanted to apologize to Blake.

With his sight blurry, Adam managed to drive to the other side of the island, in Kuo Kuana, deep into the beginning of the desert where the manor was. The lights were turned on and the guards were on his position, a sign that the family wasn't just sleeping peacefully. As he got closer, he found a slim figure leaving the house. It was Ilia, who had just retired to return to her home and have some sleep at last. When she saw Taurus getting off the motorcycle tried to look away and pretend she hadn't seen him, but it was too late to fake indifference.

"Amitola!" Taurus called her several times, ignoring the fact that Blake's parents could hear them from inside the house. "How's Blake? What happened after-...?!"

"I trusted you and fooled Blake for you two to meet!" Ilia started, ignoring the bull faunus' questions. "Look at how everything has ended!"

"I-..." Taurus decided not to apologize to his trainee, he considered that he didn't have the fault for the fight. "Have you talked to Blake about this?"

"She's too drunk to react, but I'll bet she will feel deceived and I don't blame her."

The two faunus heard a sudden sound: the principal door of the Belladonna Manor being closed. From the outside of the perimeter, Ilia and Adam observed how Ghira exited his property willing to face the bull faunus, the one he considered guilty for his daughter's disobedience.

"I advise you to leave or else…" The chameleon faunus muttered, using her traits to camouflage in the dark and disappear before Blake's father could confront her secret romantic interest.

But Taurus wasn't willing to leave and hide from the problems. Yes, maybe on other occasions he did when an occasional lover asked him to stay or when he was caught in an embarrassing situation… but this time it was different, Blake wasn't an ordinary girl and her father was a big fish. He couldn't run from the consequences.

The tall figure of Ghira Belladonna stood before Adam. The door of the perimeter got open for the bull faunus to enter the Belladonna's territory. It was too late to back down. The two males remained silent, Taurus waiting for a lecture and Ghira meditating his words. After what seemed an eternity, the chieftain spoke:

"You had an opportunity, though unauthorized, to prove yourself as a good companion for my daughter." Blake's father started with a threatening tone. By his breath, Adam could tell he was trying hard to contain himself. "She escaped home, got drunk and returned hurt. You are the cause."

Ghira wasn't lying. What used to amuse the bull faunus now made him feel guilty. Before Blake, causing trouble and seeing angry dads would be his main hobby. Adam was out of words, he had pushed Blake and as a consequence her father as well. Even Ilia had lost faith in him. How could he be able to justify his actions?

"I fought to protect your daughter, High Leader. If your intention is to scold me, you're searching for the wrong person…" Adam replied, trying to put the blame on Yuma and Tyrian, also members of the brotherhood Ghira led. The bull faunus noticed Blake's father eyes on his fists, red from punching.

"You fought like that day when you murdered a human?!" Belladonna said, remarking that the violent behavior wasn't something new about Adam. "I know your intentions, all you care about is to show yourself and gain admiration."

"That's not true, I do care about your daughter!" This time Taurus raised his voice, that being heard as well inside the house. It caught the attention of a certain person inside.

"Leave this property or I'll cut you out from the Fang." Ghira ordered, seeing that the young man had no control over his temper and emotions. "And don't ever approach my daughter again." Was his last sentence.

"You are making a mistake." Taurus spat and with no more interest for the leader got outside the garden of the manor, the principal door closing behind him. But before the father could turn and return inside his home, the bull faunus gave a last warning. "Just to leave it clear, if your daughter wants more of me it won't be my fault!"

An offended growl coming from Blake's father made Adam smirk as he started to run, risking his integrity with his most recent sentence. The guards reacted too late to be able to follow him so the bull faunus went in search of his motorcycle. Parked on one side of the perimeter of the manor, the vehicle had remained still until Adam returned. He needed a moment to breathe and rest, leaning on the couch of the seat. What a crazy night…

Taurus was that way, he craved for more adrenaline and adventure. Although he saw something more in Blake, he couldn't say that causing so much trouble in the disco hadn't amused him after all. If at last little Belladonna decided not to see him again, he wouldn't cry over it.

From her bedroom window, Blake could see the tired silhouette of her wild date resting on his motorcycle. After being healed and her head more clear, she had reached a conclusion: Adam and she didn't belong together. It had been a crazy experience typical of adolescence but it wouldn't happen again. Even when their glances met through the glass, Belladonna didn't change her mind.

"You still owe me a kiss, darling." He suddenly reminded, maybe he wasn't the only one who liked teasing. Ghira wanted to think that his daughter was a saint but Blake wasn't that far from the sin. After all, she had been the one to decide to escape home and join him.

Good girls like Blake were unpredictable and bad boys like Adam would keep faking they didn't care.

* * *

Next week I'll publish "Come Back", the third drabble you voted on the last poll. It will be angsty, so prepare the tissues.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Karvost:** Hey there! I read some of your stuff you published the other day and I have to say that I loved it! In fact, it was that One-Shot that made me return and finish the drabble that I had to post this week. Thank you for being active in the fandom even in times of hiatus. As for Legacy, I have to say that I'm very tempted to writing a second part or something but I have already promised second parts of some drabbles. Maybe when I finish them I'll get to writing some more of that AU I created. Glad that you liked it! And sorry for the typos, I'm still learning English. Have a good week! I hope to read from you soon!

 **emmaleewhittaker:** I have a feeling that you'll love next week's drabble. But the main focus of this week is the Bad Boy/Bad Girl AU. Did it reach your expectations? I know that I let you read that small sneak peek and I hope the level through all the drabble has been the same.

 **Princess-Sera:** Wait for it, because you're not the only one demanding a second part of Legacy. I may be writing something related to that AU in the future. But first I have got to publish things I have already written on my Doc. Read you soon!

 **merendinoemiliano:** I think I'll use this AU more than once. Definitively, the universe where Adam is the leader and the faunus revolution won is unexplored and can give a lot of game while writing.

 **Guest:** Thank you for your patience! Drabble #3 is coming up next week! Stay tuned!

Frozenheart7


	37. Come Back

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Come back

 **Summary:** [Pre-volume 1] Adam Taurus is ordered to find Blake Belladonna, a former member of the White Fang, to make her pay for her treason to the faunus organization. Nevertheless, will he be capable to submit her to justice once he finds her? This new mission will test the loving bonds that once kept them together.

 **Rating:** K+

 **A/N:** Time for some angst, the third option is here! New poll at the end of the chapter! Enjoy.

* * *

The sun was already down when Belladonna exited the library. Vale's one was bigger than the new library her father ordered to build in Menagerie. Honestly, she preferred old libraries with that special charm and the smell of dusty books than the new buildings with polite shelves and shiny floors. That place was magical, too magical for a human kingdom. In time to time, the cat faunus had learned that the human kingdoms weren't as bad as they made her believe a while ago. She had grown quite fond of them since she applied for Beacon Academy. However, what had made her lose the sense of time was a small stand in front of the exit that offered books to hire. Blake had never heard about something like that and at the moment they offered her to take some books and return them in a week, she didn't hesitate and had left the library with a bag full of old volumes and new romance novels, her favorite combination. Its weight was heavy but she didn't have any trouble carrying them, it only slowed her down more than usual. She asked herself if the human had known she was a faunus would have offered her so many books, trusting her blindly to return them in a week.

The ears on top of her head twitched under the bow as two boys crossed paths with her. Luckily, none of them had malicious intent, they were just a couple having a romantic walk under the moonlight. That made her draw a melancholic smile, missing somebody hidden deep inside her heart. But was had been done was for good, she didn't regret leaving the White Fang and its brothers and sisters behind. She was fulfilled with being a huntress, she felt useful and like she could do some good in the world. Anything to forget her past could comfort her…

Blake's cat ears twitched again, sensing something behind her. She turned carefully and saw nothing, just the empty street behind her. It was dinner time and at that hour nobody was out in the streets. Maybe it would be a good idea to return to Beacon through the center where a lot of people would be in restaurants and cafeterias and she wouldn't be so alone, an easy prey. She rushed to one shortcut to the center of the city, entering a dead end street. She would only have to jump the wall and in a few minutes she would be safe and sound, surrounded by other people. The feeling of her being chased wouldn't disappear…

Belladonna climbed up through a metallic container and threw the bag full of books on the other side of the wall. Then it was her turn to jump but the sound of heavy footsteps approaching couldn't be ignored. The cat faunus faced a dark shadow making its way into the dead-end street, approaching her. A very familiar form had been chasing her since she had exited the library. It was him.

"A-Adam?" Blake dared to ask, not knowing if that was a good idea or if she should ignore his presence and run to safety. He continued pacing forward, not even reacting to his own name being pronounced by her.

"My love…" He started, finally stopping right in front of the container where she was standing. He was wearing sunglasses to hide his brand and his usual White Fang attire. This wasn't a pleasant surprise, just a job to do. "You are coming with me." He sentenced.

She guessed his intentions as his hand got a grip on Wilt and Blush. If she wouldn't do it voluntarily, he would make her. Blake didn't hide all this time, at least, not from the White Fang. She tried to stay in the distance but at the same time keep herself informed of the activities and rallies the organization performed. Her main objective had been camouflaging among the human crowd but not to hide from her former membership as a whitefanger but from the other humans. Even though, Blake wasn't silly, she knew what happened to the ones that betrayed the Fang and she feared that Taurus wouldn't have mercy on her just because they had been close.

"Why?" Belladonna asked, using the dialogue as a resource to figure things out and examine the bull faunus' intentions. Should she run or…?

"You know I can't let you leave." He replied, unsheathing Wilt and Blush. A great disadvantage was that Blake was weaponless. "Deliver yourself to me voluntarily and the tribunal will be merciful."

No, she didn't have time to submit herself to the faunus tribunal to be judged for betrayal to the faunus brotherhood. They would imprison her in the best case and that wasn't on her plans. Taurus wanted to make justice and Blake just wanted to forget and run. And so she did.

Blake heard Adam sigh as she jumped over the wall and started to run, leaving the bag full of books forgotten on the beginning of a new dead-end street that would bring her to the center of the city. A few seconds later, she heard Adam jumping that same wall and following her. However, speed was Blake's strong point and she won in velocity as she randomly rushed to the central streets. A faunus criminal like Adam would be exposed in the human crowd. And especially, in front of the two policemen regulating the traffic on the next intersection, a few meters away from them.

"My darling!" He called from behind her as Blake passed through the first humans, who stared at them weirdly while he chased for her. He had also noticed the police's presence...

Nevertheless, she was disguised as a human, the bow hiding her cat ears. Adam was the one suspicious. It was a risky move but it was her only chance. However, before she could reach the policeman, a hand got a grip on her wrist, pulling her backward.

"Let me go!" She yelled, trying to draw attention to them. In the eyes of the humans, a faunus following a poor young human girl would alarm them. She tried to free herself from his grip but Adam ended pulling her into a warm embrace, a strategy to calm down the judgemental eyes of the people around and the cat faunus herself.

"Shut up." He commanded, his low growl in her cat ears. "You know what happens when we draw too much attention in missions, don't you remember?" Of course she did, Adam would kill them. It was a potential threat.

Belladonna felt overwhelmed as the embrace got tighter. She teared up as his warmth was trying to confuse her. Why was he doing all of that? Her feelings were suddenly messy because of that contact that in another context would be honest and loving. Now, none of that was left, Adam just felt hatred for her and the punishment for treason to the organization would be severe. She just wanted to return to Beacon.

Taurus noticed how one of the policemen stared at them suspiciously as Blake started to cry discreetly. He would have to make an effort to not look suspicious.

"I'm sorry, my love." He said loud enough for the policeman to hear it. "I know you're upset, but if you come with me we can find a solution." For some reason, that last part was something Blake could understand, knowing it wasn't said just to fake they had a couple argument.

"I want to be alone." Belladonna sentenced, breaking the contact with him and managing to make a few steps away from him, being a few centimeters away from the policeman. However, she couldn't expose him completely or she believed Adam was capable to kill them. "This isn't an argument we can solve right now." She also spoke between the lines so he would understand what she was trying to say.

"At least let me accompany you back home." He gently reached for her hand and caressed her fingers with his. "I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. It's too late to go alone."

Adam had won, the policeman lost interest on them and turned around to return to his labor. Blake had no other choice than let herself be pulled by Adam and leave the center behind as he brought her to a more isolated area of the city, both remaining silent. She walked behind him as he led the way, the threat was still in the air but the violent behavior had disappeared or so it seemed. Maybe he was willing to forgive her… Or not.

The faunus couple arrived at a lonely park full of vegetation and silence. In other circumstances, Belladonna would enjoy being there. Adam stopped in front of a beautiful fountain and made her sat on the rocks that contained the water inside. He sat extremely close to her and Blake felt the urge to look away and contemplate the nocturne lights being reflected on the crystal water. Adam did the same but his hand never left hers, a gentle hold keeping them together. Blake was glad to notice that their fake embrace had also softened him.

"Why are you here, Adam?" The cat faunus finally asked, facing him as he took off his sunglasses.

"I have orders to chase and apprehend you." He confessed, being predictive, it was the usual protocol with the traitors to the White Fang. "I'm also searching for answers."

It was her turn to explain and she felt her heart pounding too hard to focus on her words. Adam perceived a slight tremble on her fingers as he sat closer, her knees touching his legs. Blake would have sworn she didn't miss her past life but she couldn't say the same with Adam. She stared into his marred eyes and couldn't hide her crystalizing eyes. How many times did they spend in intimate and romantic situations like that? None of them could deny their feelings for each other but neither did they start an official relationship.

"I'm sorry." Blake muttered, her head low, regretting hurting Adam after abandoning him. "I didn't feel right fighting for our rights that way." She explained, expecting comprehension from him.

"You're too good, Blake." He praised, softly caressing her cheek with one of his fingers, making her look up at him. "But you've left me alone as well. That is something I can't forgive you for."

The cat faunus' heart ached with that last sentence. His contact disappeared, the one in her face and the other on their hands. Taurus turned his face away, hiding his sorrow. Blake knew she was the only privileged that could see Adam's emotions. After all, they had shared emotional moments that nobody else knew, being there for each other whenever they didn't feel right. They had been each other's rocks and their emotional bond now was broken because of Blake. Adam felt betrayed and she was guilty for it, feeling bad and regretting everything. If Taurus had begged her to stay she would have. The simple thought of that moment on the train when he tried to reach for her made Blake's chest pound painfully.

"I thought you were different. That you really saw some good in me." He said with a sad tone she had never heard before. "You were the only person that could understand me. I even began to imagine that maybe you could…" He didn't have enough courage to end the sentence.

' _I even began to imagine that maybe you could love me back.'_ He silenced his own thoughts as the cat faunus processed his feelings. He tried to be strong, hard, rough like when he appeared, but deep down he was just hurt.

"What would have you done if you had known I was going to leave?" Belladonna asked out loud.

"Follow you wherever you wanted to go." He replied without hesitating. Maybe she should have trusted him and told him the truth, that she no longer belonged to the White Fang, that she had nightmares after bloody missions and that violence wasn't the solution… But what had been done couldn't be changed.

"Then come with me to Beacon. The initial test is next week, I'm sure we can come up with something to be in the same team and stay togeth-..." She tried to convince her but Taurus shook his head, silencing her.

"Now it's too late for that." He sentenced, their eyes meeting again. "I have a job to do and now I have finally found you."

Taurus was too hurt to return to her arms. His feelings couldn't be fixed and now the Vale branch of the White Fang depended on him. He couldn't leave his brothers and sisters, he wouldn't like Belladonna did. This would be the first step to forget her.

"Will you deliver me to the tribunal?" Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"No."

He reached for her bow and Blake let him untie it, uncovering her faunus traits. The cold wind of the night caressed the black fur of her cat ears as he smelled her faunus scent on the black bow. Then his eyes traveled back to hers as he tied the bow on her hand, Blake too surprised by his actions to protest. Then he unsheathed Wilt and Blush.

"Don't move." He ordered, approaching the sheath of the sword to her palm where the bow was tied. He felt the pulsation of her aura being triggered as a precaution. "Don't trigger your aura, Blake."

Belladonna needed a reassuring glance to leave aside her instincts and deactivate her aura. He held tight her palm open and the sheath made a superficial cut to draw enough blood to impregnate her bow with it. The cat faunus hissed due to the pain but didn't heal herself with the aura until he untied the bow from her hands. Only then she made the cut disappear with the help of her aura.

"From now on, Blake Belladonna is dead to the White Fang." He sentenced, enveloping the black bow covered in her blood with a white tissue, keeping it safe in his pocket to present it as a clue of her death.

Taurus stood tall and gave his beloved cat faunus a last glance before turning around and starting to leave. He felt the silence of the air filling the void in his heart as he left his love behind, doing what had to be done in order to protect her and let her start a new life. Luckily, this time she would find her own path. Maybe he would also find another loyal and trustworthy partner to keep escalating inside the faunus organization and finally reach equality of rights with the humans.

However, he suddenly felt a warm grip on his hand, restraining him back, preventing him from leaving. It was Blake. She was at the edge of crying.

"And to you?" She asked, confusing the bull faunus. "Am I dead to you?"

He couldn't resist the situation and the sight of the cat faunus crying for him. She bit her lip as the tears fell down, damning her own name for showing such vulnerability for a man. The warm leather of his gloved hand comforted her as his fingers wiped out the salty tears. Adam let out a trembling sigh as a signal of his troubled mind. Letting her go was harder than he thought without even considering the fact that he wouldn't follow the orders of his superiors.

"No." He finally replied. "You'll always be here." He said, placing her hand in his chest, right where his heart was pounding hard.

It all happened so quickly that none of them were fully conscious for the first seconds. Belladonna had to stand on her toes to reach for him and made their lips met in a first shy kiss. Adam let himself lose control and gave in to the passion as he deepened the kiss, pulling Blake closer by her waist, feeling his petite body against his. This tension had been kept hidden forever and Taurus was really upset because they had never dared to confess each other's feelings until now. He tasted the flavor of loss in her mouth as they separated to catch some breath.

Their glances were kept together for several minutes, none of them daring to speak to the other. Then the cat faunus hold onto him and buried her face in his chest, cuddling warmly and feeling how his chest moved up and down. Adam froze and looked at how vulnerable she was, showing that face of her because she trusted him despite his clear intentions to hurt her ten minutes ago. Her cat ears were bent down as she expected to receive some kind of soothing caress from him, but none of that came. Instead, Adam's hand got a grip on Wilt and with his trembling breath stared down at Belladonna. Maybe, maybe he could kill her and accomplish his objective… However, his hand never moved to unsheathe his sword and in a few moments Blake broke the embrace.

"Thank you, Adam." Blake finally said, knowing that thanks to his lie she would be protected and out of sight from the White Fang.

Taurus knew that he had been a fool, for once his own feelings betraying him. His heart had decided that she should remain alive despite pretending that he had to chase her and, at least, bring her to the faunus tribunal. The choice had been made in base of their sweet memories together and nothing could change that. He unlocked his eyes from hers and put on his sunglasses to put an end to that uncertain night. His internal struggle had left him emotionally weary, he would need some time to forget his former beloved partner.

"Take care, my love." Were his last words before he disappeared into the bushes, leaving Belladonna all lonely in the park.

The cat faunus needed to sit in the fountain for a few seconds to calm her breath. She was sure that she would cross paths with the White Fang from time to time and maybe then they would face each other once more. But this time, it wouldn't be a nice reencounter but a duel between a traitor and the leader of the branch. It was the price she had to pay, risking all her past to aspire for a better future. Better but alone.

* * *

 **A/N:** You know, Adam's strategy in front of the policeman is the new tendency for abductions. I read that some kidnappers would fake being the couple of the person escaping and then nobody would suspect that the struggling person was in real danger. It would look like a regular arguing couple. I just thought somebody like Adam would be capable to use the same plan and be successful. Be very careful out there.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Hey friend! Thanks for not forgetting about me during these days. the hiatus is killing the RWBY Fandom. However, the things revealed in RTX seemed to cheer things up.

 **emaleewhittaker:** Thank you, my dear. Luckily the situation at home will be stable anytime soon. Once my mother finds a decent job, I'll limit myself to study and keep writing. Hope you liked this angst as well!

 **Princess-Sera:** I'm excited to plan good things with you via PM. We'll discuss more details soon, I'm all for your proposal.

 **Sassylittlebird:** Thank you! I was scared about everybody forgetting about this collection after the hiatus.

 **New Poll:** Vote the option you want me to publish first:

 **Option #1:** Shelter under the storm [Pure Fluff]: A nocturne storm brings out Blake's fears to lightning and thunder. However, that night she is not alone and will find a way to make his partner open his arms to her in order to have some shelter.

 **Option #2:** Blake's birthday: As Blake birthday hits in, the work in the White Fang brotherhood keeps appearing. Add more problems when a certain bull faunus doesn't recognize what he feels and when an incident at the workshop destroys the equipment of the branch. Will Blake be able at least to enjoy one moment of her special day?

 **Final Author's note:** Have you seen the poster for V7? What do you think about the new designs? Despite not having Adam in the plot anymore I'm excited about the new Volume. Hopefully, we'll see some more of the Schnee Dust Company so I can write Adam's past decently and following the Canon.

Frozeheart7


	38. Blake's birthday

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Blake's birthday

 **Rating:** K+

 **Summary:** As Blake birthday hits in, the work in the White Fang brotherhood keeps appearing. Add more problems when a certain bull faunus doesn't recognize what he feels and when an incident at the workshop destroys the equipment of the branch. Will Blake be able at least to enjoy one moment of her special day?

* * *

Blake felt as if she were a spoiled brat. She expected a day just for her, with cake and a surprise party. But she learned the world didn't spin around her as nobody gave her a good wish on her especial day. The people on the hideout didn't even care about her and that made Belladonna feel depressed by midday, being the most gloomy day in the history.

She got locked in her own dorm and laid on the bed for a while, remembering her birthdays back in Menagerie with her family. Her father always throwed her up a big birthday party and they made a very special dinner with her favourite dishes, inviting some of her friends, not that she didn't have a lot, and the evening was magical when she saw they gifted her what she had always wanted as a present. Now she compared her first birthday far from home with the ones on the past. She wasn't a child anymore but that didn't mean everybody should ignore it was her birthday. She didn't ask for a big surprise party or presents, just a simple "Happy birthday, Blake." A sign that somebody did care about her and had the detail to remember her birthday.

"Blake?" The cat faunus heard Ilia knocking on the door outside. She wasn't in the mood for visits, but Ilia was her best friend and she couldn't ignore her.

"Coming!" Blake forced herself to cheer her voice and got up from the bed to lift up the shutters that revealed the amazing landscape of the forever fall forest, one of the best sights in the headquarter. She brushed quickly her hair with her fingers and unlocked the door so Amitola could come in.

"Surprise!" She exclaimed, showing Blake a muffin with toppings and a purple candle on top. It smelled like roses and seemed to be delicious.

"Oh, Ilia." Belladonna couldn't help but smile. "Come in. We'll share it."

The two friends sat on her bed and shared the muffin. It was sweet-flavoured and had small pieces of strawberry inside. They finished it up very soon, thought, and Ilia made Blake blow the candle and think of a wish:

 _'I wish I could be fulfilled in all aspects in exchange for fighting for my people.'_ Blake thought and blew enough air to make the fire vanish.

Amitola noticed Blake's expression changed after her wish. In fact, she had noticed that her friend was behaving rather strange. She imagined the reasons why she would be sad, one of them being so far from Menagerie and his family. Ilia had always considered that Belladonna made a greater sacrifice by leaving the island to join the Vale brotherhood than herself. Ilia had nothing to miss in Menagerie. Blake, instead, left her house, family and friends behind. Amitola admired her for that, for such great sacrifice she made, for leaving her comforts behind to go to another kingdom and fight for the faunus that couldn't.

"You can tell me what's wrong, you know?" The chameleon faunus said.

The cat faunus sighed and stopped pretending that she was happy. Of course Ilia's surprise had been pleasant and she didn't ask for more from her. But the others.. Thinking about it made Blake feel selfish and narcissistic. Her mother always told her she should expect nothing from the others to avoid disappointed. Her mother was always right, but the cat faunus still felt insignificant.

"You're the only person that remembered…" Blake commented in a sad tone. "I have no right to complain but I can't help feeling a bit disappointed."

"But what about Adam?" Ilia knew something happened between them but Blake avoided talking about it, maybe now that she was opening to her she would dare to speak.

"I expect nothing from him, not after what happened." The cat faunus replied tartly.

"You can tell me that too… If you want." Amitola didn't want to press her friend but so many days of silence made Blake have enough courage to tell her the secret.

"Well, we were in his room-…" Belladonna started her story:

* * *

" _What do you think?" He asked, showing the plans of her new weapon._

 _It was like a huntress weapon, something exclusive and personified specially for her. Taurus had designed it as she wasn't a novice anymore and needed her own weapon, not a metal sword like the rest of trainees. Her weapon would have similar functions like his: sword and gun at the same time, something that himself would teach her to use. But it was necessary for her to approve the design before sending it to the workshop. Blake observed quietly the dimensions of the weapon and imagined it on her own hands._

" _Gambol Shroud…" Belladonna read the name out loud, it sounded great. "I like it a lot."_

 _Adam held out his hand and she gave him the plan with the design of her weapon. He left it forgotten in his desk and sat on the couch beside Blake. His hand traveled to a lock of raven hair and tugged it behind her human ear._

" _It suits you, don't you think?" He purred, his fingers descended from her face to play with the zipper of her mandatory trainee uniform._

" _I should leave." The cat faunus said, running away from his touch._

 _Blake felt his hand gripping around her wrist. He had taken off his mask, his eyes were begging her to stay with him that evening. The cat faunus found it difficult to deny it. Adam opened his mouth but his proudness didn't let him pronounce 'stay, please'. Instead, Blake allowed him to pull her closer until his arm was tangled around her waist and his other hand caressed her face with care. He stared at her lips and approached to consume a kiss, Belladonna gave in but both of their lips never met, they just stood with their noses caressing each other's face._

" _It can't be." The cat faunus whispered, feeling his hot breath on her cheek._

" _We can keep this between us." He tried to negotiate, not allowing her to pull away his body._

" _That's precisely the problem!" She complained, breaking the romantic hypnosis between them. "I refuse to be your dirty little secret."_

 _Her sudden rage froze Adam's blood for a few seconds. Her corporal heat was tempting, her body desired his touch but Blake said otherwise._

" _I know you want me too." He sentenced. "Only with the condition to just stay as mates. Nothing more."_

" _You're making it very difficult…" She sighed and quited staring at him to make the intense feelings on her stomach disappear. It didn't work. "You are also aware of what you feel for me." She added and pierced his blue eyes with her own glance. "What's the problem if we correspond each other?"_

 _The question couldn't be more clear. They both had fallen for each other but Adam didn't allow himself to feel love for her, maybe because he had lost so many things in his life that he didn't allow himself to love somebody to not experience the pain to lose it. Belladonna could understand it even if he didn't dare to tell her but she refused to be his little toy during night and then during the day pretend as if nothing happened, and less if she did allow herself to love him._

" _Those are my conditions, Blake." He sentenced, not wanting to turn into words his most deepest fear._

" _Then don't ask me to stay if you know I can't accept them." Was her response before leaving definitely._

* * *

"After that day things are very cold between us and he doesn't even look me in the eye. I don't know if he is mad at me for rejecting him or if he is trying to forget…" Belladonna finished explaining everything to her best friend, who was listening very closely to everything she had told her.

"So he just wants a female to mate?" The cat faunus nodded. She even would dare to bet a hand that he had forgotten about the design of her weapon. So many weeks had passed since that day and things got colder and colder.

"That's all our secret relationship would be reduced to if we did it." Blake complained. "I want somebody to desire me for me than just my body but he has unsolved issues with loss and he thinks that getting involved with me will mean that he will lose me too eventually."

"He believes everything good that comes to him will disappear someday so he avoids feeling things for you." The cat faunus was surprised, Amitola seemed to read better Adam despite not knowing him as well as Blake. "I see his point but you have to make him understand that he won't lose you."

"I don't know. I'm also afraid of his reaction."

"What do you mean by 'afraid'?" Ilia for a moment feared he could be trying to force things with Blake.

"What if we don't work out or a mission goes wrong? What if he ends losing me somehow?" Blake was mimicking exactly Adam's fears. "I mean, we all end losing everything."

"Loss it's a natural process and either you nor him are responsible for that." Amitola tried to calm down her friend.

The cat faunus didn't even know what to answer. Ilia was always right about giving advice and solving problems, arguments and issues. However, words weren't needed as a disturbing call tone interrupted the two friends. It was an incoming call from Blake's scroll. On the screen a big name in red letters appeared: Adam Taurus.

"Speaking of which…" Ilia commented sarcastically. "He never uses his scroll, it must be important…"

Maybe he hadn't forgotten her birthday, Blake thought. A small ray of hope pierced her soul and she motioned for Ilia to hush as she accepted the incoming call.

"Yes?" The cat faunus softly hummed, almost happy about his sudden call.

But with only a few seconds of silence on the other side of the line Belladonna could guess something was wrong with Adam.

"I need you to come to the workshop, Belladonna." He roughly commanded, his tone very angry. "I'll be waiting for you. Be there soon."

He didn't even wait for her reply, he didn't care about if she was available, sleeping, taking a shower, training or hanging out with Ilia. He ended the call and Blake was left with her answer on her mouth, paralyzed when she heard the repetitive tone when the Adam closed the line. Ilia had her mouth open in surprise when heard Taurus' tartly tone with Blake. She wasn't exaggerating after all…

"I should go now, Ilia." Blake got up from the bed and cleaned the rests of muffin on the bed sheets. "I really appreciate your surprise. Thank you."

Amitola unexpectedly embraced her cat faunus friend. Blake, surprised because Ilia wasn't the one to be sweet and touchy, accepted the hug and caressed her friend's back in soothing circles.

"If he crosses a line with you, I'll kick his ass." Ilia warned, making Blake giggle.

With another brief 'goodbye', the chameleon faunus left Blake alone in her room. The cat faunus let out the panic of Adam's impatience and quickly brushed her hair and put on her boots to be presentable in front of him. She zipped to the top of her neck the frontal zipper of her mandatory suit and made a quick check in front of the mirror. He was very furious and everything needed to be in order to not piss him off.

Once she considered she was ready and presentable, Blake grabbed her scroll and quickly got out of her room towards the elevator. The workshop was on the last floor, deep in the cellar of the hideout where the ones making material, dust, explosives and weapons were working and nobody outside could hear them. It was a protected space, insonorized for everybody's well-being. The cat faunus didn't like that place in special, her cat ears were very sensitive to the metal noises and the machines there were very noisy and made her cat ears ache. When the door of the elevator got open, a gas of disgusting smell hit Blake's senses. She coughed and exited the elevator and the lights got open when they senses movement. Luckily there was nobody there working, she guessed Adam would be there in the storage room at the bottom of the workshop.

"Adam?" She called him, with her hand trying to wipe away the rusty smell.

The lights of the next room got open and the cat faunus noticed his figure walking towards her. Taurus was tense and angry, he was tightening his fists but his sword was nowhere to be seen.

"What happened here?!" Blake exclaimed, noticing one of the metal walls with black burn marks. It seemed a sign of a explosion earlier…

"My stupid men happened." He replied in rage. "They blew up one of the dust boxes and important material has been damaged."

The cat faunus followed Adam, who stood in front of one metallic table with a carton box. He waited for Blake to be by his side and then opened the box for her to see. Inside there were swords, guns, shotguns, rifles, arrows… all of them destroyed. But what shocked Blake the most was what laid on top of the box: Wilt and Blush, Adam's weapon. It had the sword's edge cut irregularly, the whole weapon was dirty, covered in black dust.

"We need go repair all of these but we lack of so much time." Adam continued, Blake was speechless. He slammed his fist against the metal table, causing a loud noise that startled the cat faunus. "Damn…"

Belladonna forgot about her birthday and the argument with Adam the other night. She had to take a few seconds for herself before reacting, but Blake knew she was the only one who could comfort and calm down Adam when he was stressed or angry. She placed her hand over his fist and with her fingers massages his knuckles. Adam took off his mask and exhaled, closing his eyes to let the stress fade as his pupil caressed his tense shoulders and tight fist.

"We can solve this somehow." The cat faunus comforted him, carefully caressing effective spots that relaxed his body. "We've faced worse things before."

Adam leaned both of his hands on the table and breathed slowly and deep while Blake's caresses went in crescendo. She ended hugging his back and with her hands on his chest helping him slow down his breath to turn it into a calm regular system of relaxation.

"Why do you have that effect on me?" He almost cursed, feeling weak for letting Blake have such control over him.

Belladonna didn't answer and made him stand straight to make sure he had recovered the composture. The bull faunus brushed his hair up and opened his eyes to stare at his pupil, she was concerned, he could tell by the face she was making. Thinking it coldly, maybe he did scare her a bit with his rage, he had overreacted. The cat faunus seemed uncomfortable with the topic of their relationship, actions and reactions so Taurus just cleared his throat and stared at the box with the damaged weapons.

"I will make a nocturne trip to Vale's suburbs for new replacement." Taurus concluded, holding his weapon and examining the damage. "Disarmed but prepared."

He stared at his pupil who seemed to be boiling some ideas inside her bussy little head. She bit her lip and stared again at the burnt box and at Wilt and Blush damaged sword… Adam would be alright on his own but maybe she should offer some help even if it was weekend and her birthday.

"Let me come with you." The cat faunus finally spoke. "I'll cover your back."

Taurus seemed to hesitate. She would go unarmed too but he couldn't tell if she would be of much help or just a delay. He didn't have much choice anyway. Blake, by her hand, couldn't tell if he was okay with her coming along. She sure felt awkward by his side after everything that happened the other night and she could tell something similar happened with Adam, an internal emotional struggle he had to deal with. But they were partners and that was the most important thing they had to respect. The cat faunus couldn't let him go to Vale alone and negotiate with some illegal weapon seller uncovered.

"We will need more than covering our backs." Adam replied as a sign of approval for her cooperation on their new mission. "We need to camouflage among the humans, we can't go dressed in White Fang uniforms."

"Right." Blake nodded and watched as he disappeared behind one of the walls of the room a few steps away, the storage room. She didn't follow him and waited patiently as she heard how he was searching for something. Soon, he returned with a black tracksuit and a beautiful black short tight dress. "Do we really need to go that formal?!"

"During night the smugglers and rich traficants go there to negotiate. We can't trust in any alcoholic seller, we have to do business with the best of the best so we can assure discretion." Adam explained and held out a black bow to Blake. "You'll have to cover your ears. A hat will work for me."

* * *

"Wait for me, Adam!" Belladonna yelled to the bull faunus who was a few meters forward. She tried to pick up the pace but with the high heels and the tight dress it was impossible.

"Hurry, Belladonna." Taurus ordered, looking at the watch on his wrist.

He stopped his tracks until Blake stood by his side. She rubbed her bare arms with her hands, trying to heat herself. The dress wasn't exactly warm and Adam hadn't allowed her to wear a decent jacket because they needed to 'look fancy'. She gave him an annoyed glance that made Taurus smirk. Then she looked around and saw just empty and cold streets, no ilegal market nor black comerciants. Not even drunk criminals that were more pathetic than scary.

"Where's everybody?" The cat faunus asked, concerned because of the long trip they made for nothing, apparently.

"We should search inside the buildings, Belladonna." Adam mocked, reinitiating his pace.

Now that he said it, it sounded logic to her. Of course they wouldn't do an illegal market out in the open, as much as the neighbourhood was shady. They walked around the apple, searching for open parking lots and abandoned buildings. Belladonna, annoyed, followed Taurus everywhere as he tried to find a marked building, like the White Fang did in the buildings where the monthly meetings in town were done. But the situation still seemed strange for Belladonna. She expected something else that didn't fit the standards she had imagined. Blake started to suspect Taurus had something else in mind, taking advantage of the accident in the workshop of the hideout.

"Blake, I let you come here with me to help." Taurus interrupted her thoughts abruptly with a tone more rude than usual.

The cat faunus, disgusted, sighed out to warm herself up and faced her partner, standing a few meters away from her. "I don't know what are we even searching for on the first place." She started, complaining, it was very late and very cold and everything they were doing seemed useless. "What kind of smugglers have to hide that much from its customers? Do you even have any idea of where we should search in the first place?"

"Don't you dare to speak to me like that, Belladonna." Adam reaffirmed himself, towering his pupil. "Or perhaps there is another matter that's causing this attitude of yours?" He guessed facing her, his expression very serious.

"I should ask you the same thing." Blake wasn't silly, she knew he was the one who struggled more about their relationship when she rejected his proposal. They hadn't spoken that much after that small argument on his room and now every problem seemed to come out from their minds to their mouths.

"So you want to talk about our…" Taurus paused to find an appropriate word. "... disagreement, is that it?"

Blake made a step backwards, regretting her words. No, she didn't want to enter that terve, she was too uncomfortable with those topics due to her inexperience and shyness. Besides, it was also his birthday and he hadn't even remembered, the argument about their relationship wasn't the only issue she had with him. She heard Adam's steps coming towards her and her cat ears perked up instantly. A gloved finger caressed her jaw and pushed her face upwards so she could face him.

"You don't have much faith in me, do you?" He suddenly said, Blake not knowing exactly what he referred to: the location they were searching for, their relationship or…

"Faith has nothing to do with all of this." She replied, very seriously, also not specifying what situation they were talking about.

She kept walking forward but this time she cooperated in searching a marked building. Adam remained a few meters behind her as she hurried and examined the walls with care to end with that as soon as possible. Those shoes were killing her and the tight dress was getting in places Blake didn't want to show.

"Found it." Adam muttered, but Blake was able to hear it due to her extra pair of ears. She approached him and found the bull faunus snickering as he pointed at a purple graffiti of a kitten with a bow on top of the head. "Don't you like it?"

Belladonna gave him a weird look that gave him chills down his spine. "This has to be a joke, right?" What was up with Adam's professionality? They were doing an important task, even dangerous if they were unarmed and had to dress so elegantly just for a mission. It seemed a joke after all, oh, wait…

"Come on, enter the building." Taurus pushed her back in the direction of the door. The cat faunus knew it wasn't an usual occasion and everything seemed off of its place. Blake gave a dubious glance to the bull faunus who just motioned for her to go inside. "I'll watch your back, Belladonna." He reminded her, confusing her even more.

The building was old and dusty, there was no reason why smugglers should hide there for business. There were stairs that led to the basement and an upper floor. Belladonna glanced at her mentor for him to decide where to go but she received no answer so she just ditched the idea of going to the dark basement. Having decided so, the two faunus went upstairs. The pieces of the broken building were disappearing slowly as they made their way up the building. However, the fact that in the upper floor everything seemed cleaner, didn't prevent for Blake to lose the equilibrium with her high heels.

"Careful." Adam muttered, holding her steady. If he hadn't been behind her she would have fallen down. His arm got tangled on her waist as he closed the distance. She could notice how his lips got parted as he cornered her against the wall to maintain her stable.

"You're acting very weird…" Blake pointed out. Her chest was accelerated because of the closed distances.

Taurus was about to answer something when his partner's cat ears twitched under the bow that covered them. She looked up, a sign that she just had sensed noise on the upper floor.

"There's someone in here." She whispered to her mentor.

"So I've noticed." He replied sarcastically, looking the way upstairs. "You can use your high heels as a weapon, you go first." Adam encouraged, releasing his partner and pushing her forward.

As they reached for the upper floor, the darkness gained more space and the terve got more uncertain. Something was lurking among the shadows and Blake could feel it. She swore she saw the reflection of big bright eyes staring at them from the void of that upper floor. She turned her head for a moment and searched for her same expression on Adam's face, but he just stood behind her almost as if he searched for shelter behind her, like Blake did in the first missions. She decided to remain silent, it seemed as if he was testing her in someway with that mission. However, as she made every step, the presence of some creatures was even more evident.

"A-Adam…" Belladonna finally whispered, her adrenaline starting to run through her whole body. What if a pack of Grimm had invaded the place and they were just entering into a wild trap? "Can you feel their presence?"

The sudden noise of small rocks being hit by something moving in the dark made the two faunus stare at the black void. Belladonna's feet left the last stair as she stepped on the upper floor. There was no turning back. The creatures were moving, the small unperceivable sounds were an evidence of that. But judging on Adam's expresion it was only her, with her extra pair of ears, that could sense it. If that weren't the case, he would be side by side with her, willing to cover her back during the battle.

Taurus also left the last stair behind and joined the cat faunus in her silent uncertain situation. He turned to see her as she continued vigilant for something hidden on the unknown. To snap her out of the focused trance, he suddenly held her hand, the lack of his gloves making her suddenly react, a goosebump traveling from her fingers to her chest. Slowly, she left her guard position and locked her eyes with Adam's.

"Blake, I-..." Taurus started, making the pupil want to hear what was so important to sat to interrupt the tense moment in the mission.

"Surprise!" The yells were sudden, startling both mentor and pupil, echoing along with the canons of confetti being shot.

Blake saw a sudden flash of light and after hearing those loud voices and several shots, her faunus senses got triggered. With her ears and eyes hurting from the sudden change of environment, she made what her instincts told her, hurt the first thing that dared to touch her. And the poor victim that suffered the consequences of the shock resulted to be Ilia, who had run to hug her best friend.

When Belladonna blinked several times and massaged her four ears, her senses slowly returned to her body. The quick reasonment through her sight made her realize what happened and what she had just done. Ilia was massaging her stomach due to the instinctive kick the cat faunus had made. Then she observed around the floor and saw the decoration: balloons, lights, confetti… and in the middle of the room a table with drinks and a birthday cake with candles on it. It was a surprise party for her!

"React. Say something at least." Taurus asked, shaking softly his pupil who was still in shock.

The first thing Blake did was kneel in front of her best friend, who was still massaging her stomach to try and alleviate the pain from her kick.

"Ilia, I'm so sorry!" The cat faunus apologized. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be, in a moment... or someday." Amitola had realized that day that her friend really did hit hard, consequence of her hard training with the leader of the branch.

As Taurus helped Ilia get up, the other guests of the party congratulated Blake. Both Adam and Ilia knew that the cat faunus wasn't a party girl. But together they had made a perfect plan to celebrate her birthday properly. Everybody would pretend that nothing happened except for Ilia and when Blake had no hope in somebody else remembering her special day, then she would be surprised with a party. That way she would really appreciate the surprise despite the loud sounds and the people. And the plan resulted perfect as the workshop explosion had been the same day and Blake suspected nothing. If that didn't have happened, Taurus would have had to sue a very lame excuse to bring her dressed fancy to the city.

In a few minutes, the party continued with its own flow. The music wasn't very hard, just a soft little accompaniment for the faunus to socialize and chill for a while. Blake wouldn't have liked a dance kinda thing for her especial day, and the ambiance Ilia had created while Adam and Blake were arriving was perfect. With a drink on her hand, Belladonna blew the candles on the cake as the others sang 'happy birthday' to her. They cut the cake in enough pieces for everybody and spent the evening sharing memories and anecdotes together.

When dawn was about to arrive, the cat faunus felt the need to go outside for a while and be alone. She thought nobody would notice her temporarily absence as they guests were busy chatting and eating. Everybody was having fun, but she needed some fresh air as she wasn't used to this kind of environments. The nocturnal temperature hit Belladonna and her short dress, it was very cold outside the building. However, somebody had followed her and had a solution to her freezing skin.

Blake felt a jacket wrapping around her and the warmth immediately comforted her. Only by the smell, she could recognize that Adam was making some company with her. His hands kept warming the cloth that sheltered her with gentle moves. It was something rare in him.

"I can't thank you enough, Adam " she stared at how handsome he looked without the black jacket, the white color making contrast with his hair. "Now everything makes sense." Their formal attire, the kitten with a bow graffiti on the building, all the discretion about her birthday...

"Well, there's just one thing missing." He replied and revealed a box that he has been hiding behind his back.

The cat faunus took the box between her hands. It was covered with black paper and it was very heavy. Adam had to help her carry the weight as she tore apart the paper and opened the present. Belladonna opened her eyes in surprise as she touched the bright metal of her weapon, now materialized and not just drawn in a paper.

"Gambol Shroud is-... how?!" Blake exclaimed, holding now her weapon on her hands, appreciating the details of the design. It had her family emblem carved in purple on it as well.

"My men has to work intensively in the workshop last week." Taurus explained, proud of his weapon design. "So I took advantage of it, I told them not to clean the basement in a week and all the discarded and broken weapons made you actually believed that a explosion happened down there."

Blake couldn't believe how much work Adam did for her birthday to he unforgettable. She felt so loved despite not being home anymore. And now having her weapon between her hands made her realize that the first part of her earlier wish had been completed. Now she could fight properly with a weapon of her own. As for the last part of the birthday wish...

"Adam, this is so much." The cat faunus carefully placed the weapon inside the box an faced her mentor. "The surprise party would have been enough."

"How could you think I had forgotten a present for you?" Taurus said rhetorically and then adopted a more serious tone. "It is impossible to forget you… at least for me."

The silence in a wind form passed through the empty streets. Until that moment, Belladonna hadn't realized that they were really alone and out of the headquarter. That meant a lot more than she could comprehend. Trainer and trainee out of duty making bonds. And that last confession was the cherry on top of the cake. Could it be possible that he had realized his own fears and accepted the risk?

Blake felt the urge to break their eye-contact and stare at the floor. Everything was so sudden. She had given for lost a possible relationship with Taurus. His feet moved forward and his gentle fingers got a hold on her chin, making her stare up. The tip of his fingers' skin caressed her cheeks and ended holding her face up to grant him access to her lips.

"I think that I have fallen in love with you, darling." He confessed, more evidence about his feelings. "I'm willing to be with you even knowing the chances of being hurt."

"Are you sure about this?" Belladonna asked, not believing that he also actually had time to know himself better.

"I thought hard about it." He reassured, his finger touching the edge of her lower lip sensually. "Do you still want me?"

"I do." Blake almost moaned when his other hand tickled her neck. She was starting to feel dizzy due to his touch. It was consuming her. And she wanted more.

When she stood on her tiptoes to ask for a kiss, he got a hold on her waist and helped her reach his face. Belladonna closed her eyes and let Adam take the initiative with their mouths. He was letting her know his soft side and she was loving it. And there it was, the second part of her wish had been granted as well. Her birthday wish had been achieved in less than twelve hours.

It seemed like hours kissing until they separated. Blake's legs hurt because of her small height and the gap between her and Adam. She was trembling even with his jacket on but it was no longer effect of the cold night. In fact, she was warmer than ever. Their hypnotic kisses had been so immersive that they didn't notice the music getting louder and harder. Blake's cat ears twitched as they were so sensitive despite being outside the building.

"Is it selfish to want you for myself for the rest of the night?" He asked, taking advantage of the uncomfortable noise that she would have to endure if they returned to the party. "Nobody would notice we're gone…" He pushed harder to convince her.

"Chances are that they have already noticed so they raised the volume." Belladonna pointed out.

"How does a nice place for us alone to spend the night sound?" The bull faunus proposed.

"But you've spent much money to make all of this…" Blake replied, liking the idea but realizing that the combo of things she got today wasn't cheap.

"The weapon and the party were presents from the White Fang." He explained, pulling her a little closer. "A room for us, however, would be a personal reward for you, my love."

The cat faunus really wanted more of him and kissing on their feet was uncomfortable. That opportunity was unique because in their routine something like that would be hard to do. The pet names he was using an his touch made Blake lose the fear she had of getting too intimate. It was perfect timing and meanwhile the others would be busy dancing and drinking. Fun for everybody.

"I won't cross any limits, Blake. Don't worry about that." He continued, wanting to make her feel safe and at the same time loved.

"Then let's run away together tonight." She sentenced, holding his hand, willing to follow him whenever he had planned to go. "But promise me that tomorrow we'll still be together. That this isn't just a one night stand." She wanted to make sure knowing the past issues he had with that.

"I promise, my darling." He sentenced, holding together their hands and placing on her palm a soft peck. Belladonna laughed, this soft side was the best birthday present she could have ever gotten.

* * *

Next week I'll be posting "Shelter under the storm" a very fluffy drabble. And of course, there will be a new poll.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** Thank you a lot for your words! I'm so glad to hear from more readers that enjoy Tauradonna themed drabbles.

 **Karvost:** That was so revealing hahaha! Well, I've already replied to the message as a response to my review and told you some things so there's not much left to say here. Just thank you for reading and writing too.

 **Sassylittlebird:** Thank you! Hope you liked Option 2!

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Well, option #1 didn't win but I think you'll like this drabble as much as the upcoming next week. Stay tunned because a lot of fluff will be up. This time there won't be scary things, I promise.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Next week I'll post option #1! Seems like you and emma were the only one voting for it :(

 **Princess-Sera:** Done! Did you like it? I struggled to make Adam's birthday and Blake's birthday different and I think I suceeded.

Frozenheart7


	39. Shelter under the storm

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Shelter under the storm

 **Summary:** [Fluff] A nocturne storm brings out Blake's fears to lightning and thunder. However, that night she is not alone and will find a way to make his partner open his arms to her in order to have some shelter.

 **Rating:** K+

 **A/N:** These lasts weeks of August I've been three times at the hospital very sick. At least I'm good now that university has started. I'll try now to return to my weekly schedule and update the drabbles at a regular pace. Forgive me for such unpunctualty.

* * *

Belladonna noticed how Adam was about to enter a light sleep. She kept caressing his reddish hair and pampering him for a while, wanting to avoid his sleepiness in order to feel sheltered from the storm outside their tent. His arms hadn't stopped embracing her and she was literally laying on top of him, a childish conduct that he would mocke if he were awake and noticing why she was being so clingy at the moment. It was the way the rain poured heavily against the plastic of their tent and the occasional thunders that prevented her from falling asleep as well. The wind agitated the trees outside and with the light of the lightning she could see the horrifying silhouettes of the nature outside. Another thunder echoed and Blake swore it struck closer this time. She snuggled closer under the blankets and pressed her warm skin against Taurus' resting body, shaking him enough to make him open his eyes slightly.

"What is it, Blake?" He asked, his voice hoarse, still tired after their nocturne caresses earlier.

Belladonna felt better just with the sound of his voice even if it was an unfriendly tone. She kept stroking his cheek up and down, sometimes brushing the brand of his eye. Adam was so used to her contact that he didn't flinch anymore, after all, they had surpassed all the barriers of their friendship. The cat faunus thought of the first thing that randomly crossed her mind as a reason for waking him up.

"Have you finished Sienna's report?" She whispered unsensesly, distracting Adam and making him furrow his forehead in confusion.

"What report?" He barked, colder than usual. He didn't recall having to finish a report. What if he had forgotten-...?

A loud thunder cracked the nocturne sky and the cat faunus flinched and held tighter onto him, figuring an answer to at least not disturb him with useless worries. "N-nothing…"

Taurus yawned and stretched his arms out of the blanket for a moment, breaking the contact with Belladonna's naked skin. He placed the blankets in a way that covered well Blake's entire body and then laid more comfortably, his head leaned under his arm as the other returned to her back and caressed her skin. Adam was about to fall asleep again, she could notice in the way his chest went up and down with every breath.

"Adam?" She called him once more out of pure necessity of attention.

"What?" His patience was lasting longer than usual as he was content and fulfilled after the romantic afternoon with his partner. In another situation, he would have already given her a glance that would make Blake's blood freeze.

His eyes met hers in a soft and loving glance, he was deeply worried for her strange behavior. He tried to guess what she was thinking through her glance but it was impossible, Belladonna was too mesmerized by the blue sky on his iris to focus on the fact that she needed a motive for keeping him awake. He approached to her forehead and placed a warm small kiss to tty and erase her thoughts.

"Tomorrow you'll be complaining when the alarm rings. Sleep, love." He advised, knowing that she wasn't a morning person. Although he liked seeing her so grumpy and sleepy at the same time, not a decent person until he prepared some coffee for her.

B-but-…" Belladonna tried to think about something quickly. "Tell me how much you love me…" She asked sounding more childish than what she tried to hide.

The bull faunus repressed a chuckle and cupped one of her cheeks with the hand that was resting by her side. "You already know: a lot." He told her as she demanded, getting used to the cheesy romantic things Belladonna appreciated. "Now, can you tell me what's really bothering you?"

Blake smirked shyly, hiding a chuckle. Wasn't it obvious?

"I can't sleep."

"So I've noticed." Was his immediate response. "Why don't you try to read for a while?"

The cat faunus stared at the discarded pile of books on one corner of the tent. That wasn't what she wanted. But how could she capable to confess that the storm frightened her and that she just wanted to cuddle warmly by his side? She felt so awkward by just trying to think how to tell him that she yearned for his comfort. She didn't want to seem childish.

"That's not what I want." Belladonna sentenced, staring deep into his eyes.

She observed how his lips curled in a mischievous smirk that made him look even more handsome than he already was. His hand stopped rubbing her back and trailed up to her chin, lifting her face and pulling her closer, at the edge of a passionate kiss. He did misunderstand the sentence although Blake had spoken using a neutral tone, not that sultry voice that would insinuate that she wished some kind of action.

"Ask and you shall receive." He told her, feeling her jaw tremble due to the tension of the moment.

A thunder broke the intimate moment when their lips were about to met. Blake let out a yelp and pulled away, embracing his throax as she tried to calm her rapid thumps. Then Taurus realized what something was truly troubling Belladonna and immediately a lot of ways to tease her came to his mind.

"Love?" He called, receiving as an answer a small mutter. "Are you scared of the storm?"

"No." She lied, avoiding his suspicious glance. "I'm just bored and I have insomnia." Added when she noticed distrust on his expression.

"Make one of those teas that help you relax." Taurus proposed as a possible and effective solution, something Blake recurred to in similar situations. That would settle everything and he could head back to sleep so she used the first thing that crossed her mind, a weak strategy

"I ran out of herbs." The cat faunus said, faking sadness.

"Then keep your mind in blank and keep trying to sleep." Taurus sentenced and spun to position himself in a lateral position to return to sleep.

The lightning illuminated the inside of the tent and Blake saw a scary silhouette. She curled to the same side as Adam and tried to sneak her arm under his to be the big spoon, but he was too tall and big for her to embrace him completely, making it an awkward position that would difficult even more sleepiness. The cat faunus gave up, faced the ceiling and sighed out loud. She envied how he could fall asleep so quickly and wished she could do the same as him. Blake couldn't allow him to sleep or she would remain awake until dawn. She needed his company and support. However, she didn't want to pull the string too tight or maybe he would react like in the monday mornings with the other trainees, being angry and in a bad mood because of the early hour he had to wake up. Blake didn't want to provoke that face of him but neither wanted to stay alone with the mysteries of the night.

"Adam, turn around." Belladonna begged in a rather childish tone.

She heard Taurus sighing and a moment later he spun on the futon to face his beloved. She gave him a smile to and he couldn't be angry at her but he felt the need to finally hear from the cat faunus what was troubling her.

"Wha-..." A loud thunder cut Adam's voice and Blake ran into his arms, sheltering herself from the sounds of the storm, her cat ears bent down. Then she realized that she had just exposed herself in front of Adam. "It's the storm, right?"

Blake slowly pulled herself further from him and nodded shyly, confessing his fear for storms, lightning, thunders and all that involved heavy rain and windy breezes. He hid a smile out of cuteness for her blushy face while revealing her weaknesses. The fact that she tried to hide her fears from him to not look childish was adorable. Although that made her look even more childish than just saying: 'Hey, Adam, hold me tight tonight because I hate storms.' The thought of her sweet voice saying that in his head made him draw a smile. Then his sight returned to meet her golden eyes.

"Cuddle, please?" Belladonna asked with her arms open, leaving the choice to him.

"You just had to ask."

Taurus embraced her and pulled her petite body next to his, making sure that the blanket would cover both of them. He heard her shy purr while being comforted by his warmth. Those moments were the memorable instants that made their relationship so soft and caring. Nobody in the camp would dare to think that their leader was cuddling next to his best pupil in his tent. In reality, Adam seemed a careless and cold person but while Blake knew him better the more she was convinced about his caring personality. It was impossible to get into his head but Belladonna guessed that before drifting off to sleep he would ask about her phobia to storms. Just as she considered his possible thoughts, he spoke:

"Would it make you feel better if you told me why thunders frighten you so much?" His voice was honest, he didn't want to make fun out of her this time.

Blake got immersed in her own thoughts, searching inside her subconscious mind, trying to refresh her childhood memories. She had been lucky to live in Menagerie, away from the humans' agressions for bein another species. However, she remembered how her father struggled to make the island a beautiful place. Menagerie became the faunus kingdom despite some persons being in disagreeance with the gifted island. Besides the Grimm creatures, the weather was very unstable and being an island, the ocean around it was very unstable.

"Back in Menagerie, strong storms could destroy the entire docks. It was terrifying the thought of waking up the next day and finding the island, which my father struggled to make an habitable place, completely ruined." Belladonna explained, relating her childhood fear to those event that were repeated more than once. The terrible sea storms.

"I understand. You feared losing your shelter, your home…" She heard Adam mutter, his voice slowly fading as she closed her eyes.

Taurus felt her body relaxing as she entered a deep sleep. It seemed that his embrace and telling the burden tormenting her had helped Blake conceal some sleep. Her fingers were still clinging to his neck, holding her body tight against his, not even while sleeping she let go of him. He felt the temptation to stay awake and keep protecting her rest, but Adam's body slowly shut down as Belladonna's and the couple rested all night long, close, together.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **Alumikyo:** I have a story started that follows more or less the plot you are suggesting. I'm all for love triangles and Sun is also one of my fave characters so stay tunned because I'm willing to explore that kind of plots. Letting go of the past or not while being at beacon. Thanks for reading!

 **Katess Moon:** What you're requesting could be a potential idea for this year's Halloween themed drabble. A modern Vampire AU with a human/faunus Blake and vampire Adam sounds too good to deny this petition. I'll work something out of the idea taking in consideration your idea. Thank you for requesting! It's nice to hear somebody's point of view instead of being all the time plotting inside your head.

 **Guest:** I'm on it. For long drabbles with a potential plot I like to work them out in two parts. I swear the wait will be worth.

 **Karvost:** Here's the fluff. For the next week we have an AU and a more canon-like story, like a character study of Blake and Adam's relationship as he leads the White Fang divided in two. Once I post it you'lll know why it's divided in two parts. I think it can be a idea you'll like more than the AU.

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** Yes, in fact it's time that I write some smutt. I'm planning something a little abstract and not very detail-like with the plot but yes with the smut about Blake and Adam seeing each other after spliting. Like, Blake has left him to go to Beacon but they still see each other in a motel room each week to "catch up" if you know what I mean. Would you like a smut like that? This idea copuld give more juice than just the happy ending of the Blake's birthday drabble in my opinion.

 **emaleewhittaker:** Thank you, dear. I always love returning to the routine, call me crazy, I don't know. This first year in university I have good schedules and I don't need to wake as early as I thought. The trip to the university is long though, maybe meanwhile I could write and read. It's like a mandatory free time that I have while traveling up and down the country. Sounds good to keep working on fanfictions.

 **KittyKat-Belle:** Thanks for reviewing almost always. It means so much to me although these weeks I've been gone for health problems. But my routine is back so I'm back too. Expect more from these.

 **Princess-Sera:** In my stories Ilia will always be friendzoned (or not) and envolved in these kind of situations to use her as comic relief (although her character in the canon means much more than just a comic relief and I'm so sad about her being gone for the next seasons). Thank you for reviewing!

 **merendinoemiliano:** Talking about darkness in the White Fang, I have something on the oven for next week maybe. Read caregfully the two options because I think there's one that you'll prefer more than the other. Until next week, luckily.

 **Poll: Which drabble should I post next week?**

 **Option#1:** Across the wild seas [Pirate AU] (Rated M+) The pirates around Remnant's sea are the most wanted criminals, especially if they are faunus. Menagerie is the only safe haven but not even these dangerous pirates are accepted there. What are they willing to do to have a homeland? What will happen then their ship stumbles upon the high cargos of the faunus government?

 **Option#2:** Partnership sacrifices [Part I] (Rated T+) A story from the beggining starting with Blake Belladonna's arrival at the Vale Branch of the White Fang, willing to continue her family's fight for equality after they gave up. There she'll be chosen as the leader's pupil, starting a tormentous relationship that will evolve into something darker as time goes by. Will she be able to escape from the toxicity's chains before it's too late or will she stay by his side until he consumes her too?

Frozenheart7


	40. Across the wild seas

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Across the wild seas

 **Rating:** M+

 **Summary:** [Pirate AU] The pirates around Remnant's sea are the most wanted criminals, especially if they are faunus. Menagerie is the only safe haven but not even these dangerous pirates are accepted there. What are they willing to do to have a homeland? What will happen then their ship stumbles upon the high cargos of the faunus government?

* * *

The sound of the wood cracking every time a wave impacted with the ship terrified Blake. It seemed a wild Grimm growling in the deep sea. The darkness surrounding them didn't help either. Only a few spots of lights illuminated the dark dungeon her family was trapped but since it was dusk not much things could be seen. Blake preferred not to see since there were rats moving around and that made her feel ill.

"It will be alright." Ghira comforted both Kali and their daughter. "Just sleep for now. Tomorrow we can negotiate with them."

"Will you allow them to live in the island? Menagerie's stability will be at stake." Kali warned.

"Then we'll arrest them. Nobody would complain for imprisoned dirty pirates." Ghira answered. "The most important is getting you two out of this ship."

Blake felt her father's strong arms embracing her. She laid on his lap to sleep and thought about the previous events. They had been abducted during a trip back to Menagerie from the human kingdoms. The ship they travelled in was destroyed and the only survivors were the Belladonna family that was now prisoner of a tribulation that wanted something to do with them… They still hadn't told them what it was.

The time seemed to have stopped inside that dungeon but in the deck the tribulation was still awake, she could see the foots of the pirates each time they stepped on the small holes that gave them fresh air and light.

Tomorrow they would negotiate and luckily, giving the pirates whatever they wanted, they would be free and could return to Menagerie.

Before sinking in a deep sleep, Blake heard the sound of the chains that were being untangled from the door. Someone was coming…

* * *

The wavy cradle of the sea always had drifted him to sleep quickly, his weary routine also helped. That week had been especially hard since he had to plan the whole attack at the ship that Ghira Belladonna and his family would use to travel. The captain and his tribulation had forbidden to step on Menagerie, the safe haven for faunus, thanks to Ghira. Tomorrow they would show him that as pirates they also deserved respect and a homeland. It was an important change for his men, who had to become pirates to defense themselves from the racist humans. Of course they commited crimes: steal, murder and now kidnap…But everything he decided as a captain was for his own good and for his tribulation.

Speaking of which, the constant footsteps on deck didn't let him sleep. It wasn't normal for the men at the deck during night to be so noisy. Worries soon filled his mind until he decided to get up and check if something was wrong or the prisoners were rebellious.

The captain grabbed his weapons: sword and gun and went upstairs. The cold wind of the night hit him as he stood at the highest platform of the ship from where he could see what his tribulation was up to.

His men were having fun pushing around the youngest of the Belladonna. They laughed even harder when she tried to hurt them but inevitably was being pushed and pulled again. She had her hair messy and her white nightgown dirty.

"Hey, pass me the girl." Yelled Yuma, the captain's boatswain, as if they were playing hot potato with her. The girl was pushed and fell just for being forced to get up again. Yuma brought the girl at the edge of the board. "Would you rather jump or continue having fun with us?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Yelled Blake, showing his teeth at the pirate that made her look down at the dark ocean. "My father would never allow you to step on earth nevermore!" And she spit at the bat faunus' face with hate.

Yuma slapped her with such strength that sent her at the floor once more. This time she didn't get up and remained with her head low until somebody else grabbed her by the hair and made her look up.

"At least will you show us what you have under your little dress?" Another pirate said, grabbing a small knife to start cutting the white cloth.

Blake was immobilized as the knife exposed her naked chest at the sight of the tribulation. Nevertheless, before her breasts could be seen, a hand stopped the knife and twisted the wrist from the one that was humiliating her just for fun.

"Captain Taurus!" They all exclaimed.

"I thought I left clear that nobody could touch the prisoners." Adam barked at his men. "Everybody return to your duties and leave the prisoners in peace."

The tribulation complained but had no other option than work in front of the captain that stood for a few seconds to see if their men obeyed. They did but at the moment he turned his back he knew they would keep messing around. It was not safe to have a young woman as prisoner on a ship full of wild men.

Adam turned but didn't find young Belladonna lying on the floor as the last time. He found her at the small grating that led downstairs at the cell where his family was, but the access was locked. The captain sighed and paced slowly towards her to not startle his family. Blake looked up and found him staring at her, no clear expression on his face. She tried to get up to run away from him but she was hurt and her ankle cracked when she tried to walk.

Adam didn't even try to be kind and just lifted the girl, passing her over his shoulder. Taurus went inside the ship but not before giving a threatening glance at his tribulation, especially at one faunus that implied that he would steal little Belladonna's innocence, of course said in rude words. The girl trembled but kept trying to scratch and hurt him during the trip back at the captain's cabin. He admired his useless courage, she was lucky that he was compassionate and not an animal like his men.

When they arrived at his cabin, Adam carelessly let go of the prisoner, throwing her at the soft couch. Belladonna brushed her hair off her face and stared with anger at the captain who was grabbing a barrel with water and a towel. He left those in the bedside table and sank the towel in the water to clean Blake's dirty and bloody face, but she didn't let him and each time he tried to approach her she would hit his hand off.

"Don't get close to me." Blake barked.

She stole the towel from his hands so he wouldn't try to help her anymore. Adam sighed and just sat at the bottom of the bed, giving her some space. Despite that, she just crawled backwards until her back was touching the wardrobe beside the bed.

"I don't want to hurt you. Trust me." Taurus said, but his tone didn't seem friendly to Blake.

"There is nothing you could do that would make me trust you." She spit, getting over his nerves.

"I think I showed you that I'm worth trusty enough back at the deck." Taurus answered, offended by the young girl's pride. "Or would you have liked if I just ignored you and let my men play with you all night long?"

Belladonna showed her teeth at the captain and threw the towel at him with fury. Adam was able to catch it and threw it back at her with just the same anger as she felt. Blake just turned her face away and tried to ignore him, cleaning the blood and dirt off her face without him looking each movement.

"I don't blame you for acting like this, it's what any animal does when they feel cornered. But I'd really appreciate some sympathy." The captain said, getting up and giving the brave Belladonna some space.

Half of his sentence was false, she acted that way because she dared. Another prisoner would beg for freedom and mercy but she didn't fear the consequences. Maybe because she felt that it was too late to have some hope for her family and herself.

"Why I am here?" Belladonna asked, he didn't reply. "Is this your dorm?" No answer again. "There's no way I'm staying here with you tonight."

Belladonna got up from the bed and tried to walk outside the cabin, hurrying before Adam could react. But the captain had better reflexes and before Blake could blink, she was caught by him again. She tried to get free from his grip around her wrist without success. The captain just got closer and stared at her face.

"You can either stay here or return to the cell where your parents are being held just to be in men's hands again." The captain threatened, their eyes locked together. "I suggest you stay here."

Blake didn't reply and just stared at his intimidating red eyes. At the lack of response, Adam just pushed her harder against the wall and tightened his grip until he could see a small sign of pain in her face. During the silence he observed with detail her factions and faunus traits. She was really pretty and resembled both Kali and Ghira. She was a Belladonna with no doubt.

"What do you want from me?" Blake asked in a whisper, this time not even daring to hide her fear in front of captain Taurus. Now that they had direct eye contact her eyes she couldn't lie. Taurus smiled satisfied now that he had tamed her strong character.

"You are not guilty for your father's decisions. You are just collateral damage of our plan." Adam explained, his tight grip turned into a soft caress at her hand. Blake shivered and looked away for an escape route but her sight always came back at him.

"Collateral damage?" She asked again and tried to get her hand away from Adam's but that only made him get a grip around it again.

"I don't need you to be hurt for our plan, but what happens it's up to you." Said so, Adam pulled Blake and both walked towards the cabin. She kept her distance but walked behind the captain. "If you cooperate you'll be in my good side and none of your father's decisions will affect your well-being. Does that sound fair?"

Blake nodded, she had no other choice, and luckily the captain would reveal more of his plans involving her family. He locked the door and made Blake sat on the bed again. He walked towards the desk where he kept some fruit and offered some at the cat faunus.

"Aren't you hungry?" He asked when saw that she didn't have any. He figured she was lying anyways. "Then have some sleep. Here you will be safe."

Belladonna received a blanket made of fur that surely had been stolen. She laid on the bed but never turned her back on the captain. She wanted to watch him and promised herself that wouldn't let her guard down in all night. Nevertheless, she couldn't even close her eyes since the worries and unsafe feeling didn't let her conceal some sleep.

"What's wrong, Belladonna?" The captain asked, enjoying watching how she tossed and turned.

Blake knew the anxiety feeling wouldn't disappear until she was sure Adam wouldn't hurt her. He could assure a thousand times that he wouldn't hurt her but Blake wouldn't trust him.

"You want my father to cancel the search and capture order for all the pirates?" Belladonna asked, it was one of her many theories of why they were prisoners.

Adam grabbed his chair and put it in front of Blake. He sat on it and rubbed his chin, examining her intentions. For him, little Belladonna was harmless and some chat wouldn't hurt. At least she was entertaining. Or maybe it was that he was used to loneliness and just a decent partner was a good amusement.

"For faunus that were born in Mistral, joining the pirates and travel around the sea was the only option. Humans hated us so we had to leave. The other human kingdoms didn't want us neither." Taurus explained, trying to focus on Blake and not wanting to lower his sight at the holes in her nightgown that showed some skin. She noticed and covered her chest with her arms.

"You act like criminals, that just enforces the humans' vision." Blake complained.

"We had no choice until your father built Menagerie. But then he forbid us to step on the island and we are doomed to remain in the seas." Taurus continued.

"My father just did what he thought it was right to ensure our protection." She kept defending her family.

"We are also victims of the human society and deserve shelter." Adam replied a bit angry. "That's why tomorrow I'll make him sign a document to cancel the law that forbids us to stay in Menagerie."

Blake remained silent, her father's suppositions were right. The pirates just wanted to have a land to step on but that didn't assure that they stopped the criminal activity. It was a risky choice but Blake was sure her father would sign that document and allow the pirates to live in the island.

"And then will you let us leave?" The cat faunus asked, wondering how cruel the hate and rejection of the humans had turned him.

Adam had been betrayed so many times that couldn't fully trust his enemy even if they made a pact. He would need something as assurance so Ghira kept his promises…

"It depends…" Taurus replied, not sure about what to say.

"It depends on my father?" Belladonna asked back.

"Not really." Taurus replied, keeping for himself the true answer. He blew off the candlelight and got up to go to sleep in another cabin to leave the prisoner alone. "Sleep well."

Blake heard the door closing and the steps of the captain each time lighter until the sound disappear. She thought he was never going to leave and internally thanked the opportunity to sleep properly despite having her parents worried, but there was nothing she could do about that.

* * *

If she had slept well, the awakening was certainly the worst part of all the stay in the ship. Adam grabbed her arm and forced her to get up, no 'good morning' or soft pats to wake her up, just a rough push to make her walk.

"Where are we going?" Belladonna asked, still sleepy, pulling her arm in the contrary direction. Adam was stronger than her so it was useless, he kept dragging her upstairs. "Answer me!"

Blake would have kept complaining and insolently asking the captain more things but then he unleashed his sword and that was enough to shut her mouth. When they arrived at the deck, there was the entire tribulation staring at them. Blake searched for her parents but didn't see them.

"Tie her to the mainmast." Adam ordered, pushing her towards Yuma, who immediately caught her.

Belladonna gave him a hate glance for everything he did to her last night. Yuma just smirked and pushed her against the mainmast. Another man tied her hands together so she was attached and couldn't move from there. She was helpless again, how she hated that feeling and the glances of the hungry pirates over her vulnerable body. Luckily, nobody dared to approach her as the captain had threatened them beforehand.

"Free the prisoners." Adam ordered, standing beside Blake with his sword near to her neck. One of his men unlocked the cell under the deck and slowly both of her parents climbed up. "Don't worry, darling. I'm sure we can make a deal." Adam whispered to Blake, she tried to move away but didn't work as the rope was tied tight around her.

"Blake!" Kali yelled, trying to reach for her daughter but being stopped by the pirates. Ghira just embraced his wife to prevent her from being hurt. "What have you done to our daughter?! Ghira yelled angrily.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry, chieftain." Adam assured but by Blake looks didn't seem so. Both of her parents were terribly scared when saw her nightgown almost snagged to rags and hair uncombed and tousled. "Tell them, dear." He ordered to Blake, pressing the edge of the sword against her chest.

"I'm fine." Blake assured, at least she spent a deep sleep night. Adam immediately retired the sword and walked towards her parents.

"I believe you already know what we want." Taurus started. "We've already redacted the document you have to sign so we both are free."

"What kind of law breaks the fact of signing that document?" Ghira asked as Adam motioned for his men to bring the document.

"You'll retire the order for search and capture and all the pirates will be welcome in Menagerie. It's that simple." Adam explained and handed the document at the chieftain for him to read. "No tricks. It's beneficial for both parties involved."

"Let go our daughter and he'll sign this." Kali demanded while Ghira read carefully everything redacted in the paper.

"I'm afraid that is not possible." The captain replied. "Once you sign this, we'll let you return at the island to show your decision at the faunus council and they will have to decide if they let the pirates return. But nothing assures us that they'll actually allow it. I'm sure as chieftain you have influence and can come up with a good reason for your sudden decision but for our well-being we will keep your daughter as assurance."

Blake opened her eyes in fear and shook her body to get free from the ropes. She couldn't stay there alone! The pirates would hurt and abuse her if her parents left! Hate burned in her heart for the captain. He was rotten and dead inside.

"I won't sign this unless we are all free." Ghira objected. "It can be months before a decisions like that can be accepted!"

"Let me stay in our daughter's place." Kali begged.

Captain Taurus ignored their pleas and gave the chieftain a feather and a bowl full of black ink. Ghira hesitantly sank the feather in the ink and stared intensively at the paper.

"Your daughter is staying and nothing can change that." Adam sentenced. "We'll stay anchored five miles away from the shore. I promise Blake will be safe and sound during her stay. Deal?" He asked, watching closely Ghira's hand that trembled.

The chieftain signed the document and Blake sighed. Her entire body was trembling. She couldn't blame her parents, specially because her mother had offered to replace her and her father was forced to do what the pirates told him even though the captain made it seem as if he had a choice.

"One of my men will accompany and stay with you on the island. Fair, isn't it?" Adam said, stealing the paper from Ghira's hand to check that everything was in order. His signature was there so all he had to do was return to Menagerie and reunite the faunus council to approve it. Of course, Adam wanted it to he done as soon as possible.

"Men, we're on our way back to Menagerie!" Adam announced proudly and then turned to face Blake's parents. "Oh, and chieftain, if this procedure takes more time than necessary then I will no longer assure Blake's well-being. We struggle to survive and if we ran out of food and water the first to die will be her."

"Don't harm her! Give me your word and I will do everything that is in my hand, even more!" Ghira yelled as one of the men brought Kali back inside the prison hold.

"Give you my word? Why? You wouldn't trust it anyway…" The captain muttered and motioned for his men to put Ghira back in the cell.

"Let me talk to my daughter!" Ghira begged once both parents were locked inside.

Adam ignored Blake's parents pleas and looked how his men got to word to navigate towards the island. They weren't too far, luckily if the time was good they would arrive that same afternoon. There they would drop the anchor to stay in front of the island until Ghira's order was approved. Once everything was in order, Taurus' eyes moved to the mainmast and the cat faunus tied. He approached her and observed how her belly was shaking and her breath was unstable due to the tension. She turned her head aside, covering her face with her long hair so nobody could look at her expression. Adam just smirked and started untying her hands. Once freed, he pulled her indoors but Blake resisted and didn't keep advancing.

"I don't want to stay with you! Let me be in the cell!" Blake asked, by her voice Adam could tell she had been crying.

"My initial plan was to kill you and keep the corpse here." Adam said, Blake didn't knew if he was joking and dried her tears with one hand to stare at him. Once she had her eyes locked with his, Adam continued: "But since your company is so pleasant I've decided to keep you alive as a better incentive for your family."

"You are a sick bastard!" Blake yelled as her sadness turned into hate.

"Don't make me change my mind, darling." Adam threatened sweetly, amused by her reaction.

* * *

Blake hadn't spoken to anyone during all these hours. The captain had been busy and spent the afternoon entering and exiting the cabin to give orders at his men. During those silent hours Blake arrived at one conclusion: Adam, for some apparent reason, wanted to torture her. She didn't care if it was because he found her too irritable or spoiled but was sure that he tried to teach her a lesson by spending an undefined time in the ship with a bunch of wild men. He wasn't like the others, the tribulation was simple and Taurus was complex, evil, wicked… Blake kept making a list of negative adjectives until Adam entered once more the room. He found her lying in the bed, facing the wall and shaking. Her hair didn't let him see if she had been crying or not. She had been, but out of anger and not out of sadness.

"Leave." Blake demanded, not even facing him.

"This is my cabin. You are the intruder." Taurus replied, amused, leaving his weapons inside the closet.

"Then bring me back to my parents' cell." She answered angrily.

Adam ignored her and sat in front of his desk to plan more malefic plans, or that was what Blake supposed since he seemed so busy plotting evil schemes.

"Why are you doing this?" Belladonna asked after a while, sitting on the couch, more calm than before.

"You are always making the same questions. Ask better and you'll find the appropriate answers." He replied, still not caring much about her repetitive questions.

"Stop messing around with me!" Blake finally shouted, he had crossed a limit. "It's not necessary for me to stay with you and you know it! You are doing it just for kicks."

Adam stared surprise at the prisoner and got up from his seat. Blake did the same, willing to confront the captain. She hold her glance to him and Adam, due to the height difference, bent over to mocke her better.

"I make you stay because I can." Adam sentenced and expectantly waited to see her expression.

Instead of getting upset or screaming at him, the cat faunus felt the rage running through her veins. She tightened her fist and then opened her hand to slap Adam's cheek in a quick movement. The captain, even quicker, managed to catch her wrist when her hand was about to hit his cheek.

"Learn your place, prisoner." Taurus ordered and pushed Blake backwards with the bad luck that she fell to the floor, making her look even more defenseless.

"I'm not your plaything!" Belladonna continued complaining.

"Aren't you? Are you sure?" Blake didn't find a convenient answer and kept terrified under the dangerous red glance of the captain. "Show me some respect or you'll never see your parents again."

Adam had found which nerve to touch, it was mentioning her family and Blake was vulnerable.

"You have no heart." She muttered, tears almost falling. "What did I even do to you to deserve this?! You said it wasn't my fault!"

He loved to push her to the breaking point to take advantage of her. Then she was helpless and he could actually manipulate her. Somehow, it was pleasant for him.

"Oh, darling." Taurus whispered softly, kneeling on the floor in front of her. Blake tried to turn her head but Adam caught her chin to force her to look at him. "Do you think I like hurting you? These tears mean nothing to me…" He said, gently wiping away the tears with his thumb.

"Let me say goodbye to my parents at least." Belladonna asked, not caring anymore if she seemed weak. Looking down and fragile seemed to be the only way to gain the captain's favour. There was something in the tremble of her small body that didn't let Adam deny her petition.

* * *

They didn't arrive at Menagerie until past midnight but none of them closed their eyes. Blake felt the ship dropping it's anchor and looked through the big bull's eye. Menagerie was just a few miles away, she could see the light of the torches in the docks. Then she stared at the locked door. The captain had promised he would let her say goodbye to her parents, but would he just make fun of her and keep her waiting forever inside that cabin?

Before Blake could reunite enough courage to start kicking and hitting the door, Adam appeared and unlocked the door, opening it for her to come outside. Unconsciously, a slight smile was drawn on her face and Adam was pleased.

"Make it quick, come on." He barked.

Belladonna hurried upstairs and found her parents with their hands tied, waiting for a pirate to prepare the small boat that they would use to arrive at the shore. She ran to them and both Ghira and Kali tied to embrace their daughter, but the rope didn't allow them. Adam motioned for the pirate to untie them so the family could share one big hug together. The Belladonnas enjoyed their last moments together in a possible long time. None of them spoke until the father broke the hug.

"Blake dear, I will have vigilantes watching every movement on the ship. Are you sure they won't harm you?" He asked concerned.

"Y-yes." Belladonna lied. She didn't understand the captain's true intentions and even less could assure that she would be safe.

"Don't be so sure about that, darling." Adam interrupted then, stared at Ghira. "If you make us wait for too long, chieftain, I will lose control. You know, having such a young and beautiful faunus aboard is something that rarely happens, a delicious temptation."

"You touch my daughter and I'll-..." Kali growled, but Ghira made her stop talking for prevention.

"As I said: 'if you make us wait for too long'. But that won't be the case, right chieftain?" Adam asked, grabbing Blake and pulling her towards his side, out of the reach of her parents.

Adam's man had the small wood embarcation ready. After a brief goodbye, Ghira and Kali were tied again and put in the boat with the pirate. Another man slowly lowered the boat through ropes tied around it until it was in the sea. Blake watched as their parents were brought back at the island and she was left alone with Adam and his men. She trusted in her father, he had resources and the faunus trust to accelerate the process of the annulation of the anti-pirate law. Or at least that was what she thought.

Blake turned and saw the men in the deck observing her, ones more discreetly than the others. She couldn't trust that the captain would have her controlled the twenty-four hours a day so she could never forget to watch her back. Speaking of which, Adam appeared suddenly so close that almost scared her.

"Let's go back inside." He said, more relaxed. Now that her parents were gone he seemed more calmed. But it was too soon to notice such change.

"Can't I stay here?" Belladonna replied, refusing his contact.

"Well, I'm going inside. Do you really want to stay here 'alone'?" He asked referring at his pervert men that were anxious to play with her as the first night. She didn't doubt that at the first chance they had would take advantage of her.

"You are right. I'm coming with you." Blake agreed and followed him indoors. Once she no longer felt the piercing glances of the pirates she sighed in peace.

"At least we agree on something. I thought you were going to complain forever." Taurus mocked, unlocking the door of his cabin for her to enter first. "Get used to this because it's the only safe place for you."

"I know…" She replied with certain sadness.

"It's too early to be still awake, get some rest." He ordered, that never changed in him, he was used to being the captain and order the others around.

Belladonna almost yawned and laid on the individual bed and covered herself with the blanket. She heard Adam sitting on his usual spot and observed how he covered himself with a long dark coat to sleep.

"Why don't you sleep somewhere else?" Blake asked. If she had made that question in the afternoon Adam would have mocked her until she screamed but being so early he didn't have enough strength. Yet.

"To let know my men that you are guarded during the night." Adam replied and blew the fire of the candle so they were surrounded in total darkness.

Both of there were so tired that soon they fell asleep. Harsh weeks of convicence were about to come...

* * *

Blake heard Adam waking up very early. She could hear his footsteps and how he changed his clothes and made an effort to not peek and pretend as if she were still asleep. He left quickly and locked the door. Blake was sure he was the only one that had the key so she had to be safe from the other pirates. He surely would be out for a while so it was Blake's chance to search for a way out or some sort of entertainment during her stance.

The cabin wasn't very big but the things inside were pretty for pirates… she guessed most of it had been stolen. The most incredible part were the colored crystals behind the desk of the captain. The sun reflected the colors on the room at sunrise and it was a beautiful sight in such dark place. The second part she loved the most was the bookshelf, it was full of antique hardcover volumes. She sneaked inside the closet and found a small mirror and a wood comb that seemed unused. Blake badly needed a shower and clean clothes. Walking around the ship only with a white, broken nightgown wasn't appropriate. Nevertheless, she didn't have enough courage to borrow one of Adam's shirts.

"Let's see what is worth reading." Blake talked to herself, reading the titles of the old books in the bookshelf.

She picked a brown volume, a poetry anthology. The pages had a border of gold that centered the elegant calligraphy of the poems in the center of the page. It was beautiful, but the name of the author was too wasted to be read, something that left Blake stranged.

After half an hour in solitude, Blake's cat ears perked when heard the door unlocking. By the scent that entered, she could tell it was Adam that was back from his routine. She didn't take her eyes off the book and remained silent.

Taurus found his prisoner sitting next to the colored crystals and rays of green, red, yellow and blue lights were reflected in her. Adam didn't disturb her and left what was brought to the ship in the desk beside her. She didn't seem to care his presence, sitting on his usual chair and on the other leaning her feet. However, the light on the pale nightgown revealed her skin and Taurus could catch a glimpse of her naked figure. It resulted complicated to take his eyes off her feminine anatomy.

"Where does that come from?" Blake asked, thinking that the food and the bag he had brought had been stolen.

"Your father's guards have brought us food and water since we have to abandon our labour as and have nothing to do to survive."

"You mean since you are anchored here and can't assault another embarcations to survive from the things you steal…" Blake muttered and smiled for herself. The left the book in the desk and opened the bag. There were decent clothes for her. "Where are the showers?" She asked.

Adam stared at her and laughed. Blake stood rigid and silent as she didn't understand why he was laughing his head off.

"Showers, you say? We don't have any, darling." He answered when he stopped laughing.

"You don't smell bad, how do you clean yourself?" Blake thought out loud.

"There's one day when we clean ourselves in the deck with a bucket and soap. Now that your generous father gives us water I guess we can have the luxury to do it more often."

Blake still thought it was not enough hygiene for someone like Adam, only a shower in a week would make the ship stink horribly.

"I can't go outside and do the same as you, obviously." Belladonna finally said.

"I'm sure there won't be any problem for my men." In fact they would appreciate the sight, but Adam left that part of the sentence for himself. "But if you want, you could do it in the superior deck, it is covered by the bridge, nobody could see you unless they go up there. And nobody has authorized access."

Blake thought for a while and looked at the fruit that Adam brought. She grabbed half part of an open coconut and sipped the sweet water inside. She needed to eat first before anything, it had been almost two days since her last decent meal.

"I guess I could go take a shower there, yes." Blake finally sentenced.

* * *

The superior deck was as lonely as the captain promised. After grabbing a bucket, a bar of soap, a big fluffy towel and her clean clothes, Blake climbed up there discreetly to not catch anybody's attention. When she made sure nobody was around, left the bad beside the bridge along with her broken dirty nightgown. She kneeled to patiently wet her skin and then rubbed the soap against her body, ripping the dirt off. When she finished, slowly threw the water left in the bucket to wipe away the soap and wet her hair to refresh it. Despite being in the ocean, it was really hot. She wrapped the towel around her body to dry the water that dripped at her feet and softly dried her hair. The towel was terribly long and it almost covered even her feet so it dried each part of her body very quickly.

Belladonna turned her head towards the place she left the bag... and it was no longer there.

"Oh no…" Belladonna cursed in low voice and searched in all directions but here clothes weren't there she even looked down at the sea but the bag hadn't fallen down neither.

That only could mean one thing: somebody knew she was up there and stole the bag to humiliate her. Luckily she had left the towel near her and she had it with her. Blake could do two things: enter the bridge where Adam was and ask for help or go down at the lower deck and face the pirates.

She wasn't a damsel in distress, she didn't need anyone to stand for her. Blake knew that if she didn't confront the pirates these kind of abuses would keep going. She tied the towel tight around her and went downstairs, the whole tribulation stared at her, some with lust, others surprised and a small group with admiration. Only a pair of them were working cleaning the deck the others were just hanging around: playing cards, throwing knifes at targets and drinking.

Nevertheless, Blake's presence caught everybody's attention.

"Who has stolen my clothes?!" Belladonna asked angrily.

She saw at the bottom of the deck one of the pirates throwing her bag at another to hide it somewhere else. Blake ignored the commentaries of the pirates about her and walked towards the one that had her bag hidden behind him. But before she could reach the pirate, Yuma, the bat faunus that tortured her the first night in the ship, blocked her way.

"You can't demand anything, you are a prisoner." Yuma said pushing her backwards

Blake stood her ground: "Get out of my way." She made a step to the right but the pirate followed her movements. She tried to distract him by moving from one side to another and then ran but he managed to catch her by the towel. "Let me go!"

"You tempted me the other night." Yuma said near to her cat ears, grasping the towel with strength. Blake didn't struggle as she had to make sure that he didn't rip the towel. "I won't stop until I get what I want."

The other pirates cheered out loud while he tried to pull the towel off her body. Blake pulled with all her body and resisted the pirate's strength. She feared the towel would soon start to break in two. It seemed she had no escape when she turned and saw to more pirates willing to immobilize her arms. Luckily, before they could touch her skin, the only figure of authority made an appearance to establish some order.

"What is going on?!" The captain yelled, the tribulation remained silent. "Give back the prisoner's clothes." He ordered.

Blake enjoyed when Yuma had to let go of her towel and the other pirates had to put some space between them and her. The bag with her clothes flew across the deck until Yuma caught it. Belladonna stared at him with hate, waiting to return her the bag. Instead of giving it to her, Yuma dropped it at the floor. Belladonna, despite the clear humiliation, kneeled and quickly put the clothes that fell off the bag inside. She gave a last glance filled with rage at the bat faunus and returned inside to finally get dressed in peace.

The captain went downstairs at the same deck his men were. He called Yuma with his finger and he had no other option than obey.

"This is the last time you lay your hands on my prisoner, understood?" The captain sentenced authoritarian.

"She is the one tempting us by walking around freely!" Yuma complained, trying to give a valid argument for his arousement towards the young Belladonna.

"If you can't respect my rules, you leave this ship." Adam threatened. "And I don't think the people out there want you back in the land, so it is the only option you have: obey."

Yuma had no other choice than lower his sight and respect the captain's orders. Adam had the maximum authority and none of his men would dare to talk back at him or even question an order. The bat faunus started walking away, but Adam caught a glimpse of something that didn't belong to him.

"Oh, and Yuma!" Adam shouted, making the bat faunus turn around. The captain held out his hand. "Give back her underwear."

Yuma sighed and from his pocket took out the white panties he had stolen from the bag of clothes for himself. He had no other choice than give them back at his captain.

"This is my last warning." Adam reminded him.

The captain left and went downstairs, following the trace of wet footsteps that his prisoner left on her way back to the room. When Adam entered he found her already dressed with long black pants and a white shirt, nothing that would catch too much attention. Blake avoided his glance and pretended to be organizing her bag as Taurus opened the closet and searched for a thing.

When Blake lifted her glance she found him lending her a knife. A very large knife. She stepped back as caution.

"I want you to have this." He said, attaching the knife to a leather belt. Then grabbed Blake roughly and pulled her towards him.

"Why are you giving me a weapon?" She asked as he passed the belt around her waist and buckled it tightly, with the knife on one side.

"You know why. Don't play the innocent with me." He replied, leaving his hand on her lower back. The touch made Blake's skin shiver. His breath was on her forehead. "If my men try something don't hesitate and use it."

Adam suddenly pushed her backwards, feeling the hand that was on her waist still tingling. Blake stood on her feet, her hands leaned on the bedside table to not fall, watching as he was willing to leave.

"Where are you going?" Belladonna asked.

"I'm not your babysitter, I have a ship to command." And without saying anything else, he left and locked her inside the cabin.

"Stupid… pirate!" Blake muttered, falling on the bed to rest some more or at least make the hours pass by quicker.

* * *

By the end of the day, the cat faunus was tired of waiting and waiting without nothing else to do. Adam hadn't returned and she only had water and food as survival supplies on his room, where she was forced to stay. However, she had a knife with her and the fact that the door wasn't locked tempted her. Besides, that night there was a storm and the waves cradled the boat more than usual and being in a room so near to the level of the sea was scary. She could see from the coloured crystals each movement the sea made and the violent pushes of the waves with the waves. Blake ignored the saying 'curiosity killed the cat' and went outside the captain's cabin, ignoring the dangers that could await outside.

"It's like a labyrinth." She said for herself once she took one of the internal routes of the ship that she had never seen.

The rest of the cabins were smaller than the captain's office. She couldn't imagine living inside one individual cabin and internally thanked Adam for letting her stay there and having a decent big bed to sleep in. Nobody could be seen in the internal corridors but outside the deck she couldn't hear the pirates as always, maybe because of the storm. However, Belladonna found the answer to her internal questions a few meters away, in the entrance to a common room with bunk beds where the crew slept. She stayed hidden near the door and thanks to her faunus hearing could understand the pirate's whispers.

"I know we can take this ship for ourselves. Adam's too soft to command us. We don't even need a piece of land to live, our past life was better than being anchored near the coast." She could recognize Yuma's voice. They were planning a rebellion against Adam.

"We can attack tonight. If we all together assault his office we can take him down." Another pirate proposed.

"We kill him, throw his corpse overboard and keep the prisoner for ourselves." Blake felt chills and gasped as they mentioned her with special desire on the voice.

The pirates suddenly shut up and the cat faunus covered her mouth with her hand, the other tightening the knife on her hips band. She heard the wood cracking in her direction and prepared herself to attack. Two arms were wrapped around her and lifted her feet from the floor. Blake yelled and tried to get free as the pirate brought her inside the common cabin.

"I found a sneaky mouse!" The pirate laughed, his disgusting mouth too near to Blake's jawline.

Belladonna observed around and knew that if she stayed there she would be a plaything for the crew. Before the other pirates could lay their hands on her, she revealed the knife and nailed it on the pirate who was restraining her. The metallic knife was drawing a lot of blood from the pirate's thigh as she was dropped to the floor. The others yelled rude things to her as the hurt pirate screamed and Blake got up from the floor to run upstairs, knowing where she would find Adam. She needed to tell him everything, their lives were in danger.

As she expected, when she opened the door to the bridge found Adam looking at the horizon through the crystal, the storm was worrying him. Nevertheless, when he saw her prisoner's clothes stained with blood he turned and approached her without his usual rude comments.

"Is this blood yours?" He asked, trying to keep the composure as he saw the knife on her waistband missing.

"There is a conspiracy against you!" Belladonna yelled, the adrenaline still running through her veins, unable to calm down. "Your crew wants to murder you tonight and leave Menagerie coast."

"Why should I trust you?" Taurus asked, examining each detail and her expression, she seemed desperate.

However, before the captain could ask more questions, the door to the bridge got open. Yuma and another pirate were carrying the hurt crew member that had been trying to catch Belladonna. He was yelling and still had the knife nailed on his thigh. The look Taurus gave Blake had suspicion on it and the cat faunus felt like the situation would turn against her very soon.

"The prisoner's crazy, captain!" The hurt pirate exclaimed.

"She wants vengeance on us! She attacked Perry out of nowhere!" The other pirate, who was helping Yuma carry their hurt buddy, said.

The captain immediately glanced over Blake, who felt offended for all of their lies. She needed to defend herself from their words or Adam would trust then before her, who was just a prisoner held as hostage.

"They tried to drag me into their cabin!" Belladonna said, knowing that it wasn't something new. "You told me to use it if I was in danger!"

"You gave a weapon to the prisoner?!" Yuma intervened this time, surprised about the voluntarily action. They thought Blake found her own way to steal a knife.

"Don't question my choice, Yuma." The captain scolded him. The main rivalry was between them, Blake was sure that Yuma was the one leading the revolution against him. "Are you afraid of a child? Or is it for the knife?" Adam mocked.

"I don't understand why you let the girl walk around here so freely. Look at Perry!" The other pirate said, supporting Yuma's point of view.

"I'm telling the truth, Adam!" Belladonna yelled, referring to the conspiracy too.

The captain stayed silent and so the others did, except the hurt pirate who kept whimpering due to the pain. Blake approached the captain as he tried to find a solution to all of his problems. She caressed his shoulder to try and drag his attention to her so he could believe her words. However, Yuma used that innocent action to his favour.

"You're not made of stone, Adam, as much as you try to pretend you are." He said, referring to possible attraction or weakness for the prisoner. "She's playing the victim to earn your trust."

Taurus glanced over the prisoner and held her arm roughly, his fingers tightening too hard around her. He seemed really pissed to her, she couldn't believe he was trusting Yuma who had given him more trouble before.

"I'm tired of these games." The captain sentenced, dragging Belladonna out of there. "You'll be staying in the cell and you and the rest won't approach her."

Adam continued dragging Blake behind him, bringing her to the cell under the deck. The rain was pouring and their clothes got stained with water. She didn't try to resist his steps, she didn't care where she had to stay anymore but needed to make him believe her. It didn't matter what she told him, he kept ignoring her and opened the cell, dragging her downstairs with him. Once he closed the door and were alone, she kept silent as he gave her a very severe look.

"If what you're telling me is true you'll be safer down here than with me." Taurus sentenced.

"So, you do believe me?" Blake was surprised and still couldn't comprehend his mood wings.

"There's only one way to know, dear." The captain was willing to risk his life. If it was true, he needed to know the men who were willing to kill him.

* * *

Blake concealed some sleep despite the anxiety of the moments. However, she didn't even dream because of how tired she was. Those last nights on the ship had been crazy and now that she was in the cell at least she was sure of her loneliness and felt safe. Yes, her safety now was assured but what about the captain's? Something inside of her told her that he had believed her. Taurus wasn't silly, he surely had seen more signals to that treason upcoming. But despite his strength and intelligence the prisoner couldn't help but be worried. That possible rebellion against Adam had her more scared than the storm that threatened with inundating her cell.

If the captain was busy controlling the storm then his men could have more chances of succeeding. Oh, the horrible ways to end Adam's life couldn't stop torturing her mind. He had been the only obstacle between his men and her, he had acted as her defendor. If he died, the other pirates would do whatever they wanted with her. In fact, she started to believe that Taurus was the only one who really wished a peaceful life in the land. Unlike the others who kept behaving like criminals. If that weren't the case, for what reason would they plan a rebellion against their captain?

* * *

Adam stared at the hole in the deck where his prisoner was being kept. Despite the rain entering, the cell had places for it to exit so he wouldn't have to worry. However, he did worry about her in a stupid way, even knowing that there was the safest place she could be in that moment. Without wanting it, his mind asked a simple question: "Could she be worried about him in that moment too?"

He huffed and stared at the sky as he should be. There were other things more important to worry than her. The small group of men outside on the deck were struggling to ease the rough movement of the waves. The ocean was cradling them so harshly that it was difficult to maintain the equilibrium on the ship. Adam had been through a lot of storms but that one was violent and wild. They wouldn't get through it if the ship continued to resist the water.

Suddenly, the door got open and Yuma and other three of his men entered. Adam tried to turn calmly and checked that they didn't have any extra weapons with them. Everything seemed in order despite the extraordinary interruption on the bridge.

"I haven't called you but you're opportune." Adam said. "We should raise the anchor or the waves will end swallowing the ship." He said, knowing that if they kept the ship attached to the land there were higher probabilities of drowning. It was better to be in movement or even run away from the tempest.

"We had a better idea." Banesaw, one of Yuma's friends said. "There is extra weight on this ship. If we got rid of it the ship would get through the waves less violently."

"The cargo will remain untouched." The captain sentenced. And returned his glance though the crustal. The sky was roaring furiously with lightning.

"We weren't talking about the cargo." The other faunus pirate said. "We are talking about you!"

The echo of a shot rang even outside. Despite the loud thunders, the men outside in the bridge returned inside, at least the ones that were not aware of the rebel's plans. Because the other ones that were missing were hidden in order so their betrayal could work. And when Adam's loyal dogs entered the ship to make sure the shot had been nothing, the others got out of the hideout to untie one of the smaller boats.

With her extra pair of ears, the cat faunus swore she had heard a shot. Her heart raced and the water freezing her feet wasn't helping. She was soaked due to the water that entered. The ambiance was too cold to survive the whole night. But the adrenaline kept her body running. A few moments after she heard the quick steps of the other pirates on the bridge. Something was happening, there was too movement for something like a storm.

The metallic bars keeping her under the bridge got open. She could hear the sound of the keys Adam had of her cell, because he was the only one who had a copy, wasn't he? The answer didn't came a while after. The fact of a random pirate descending the stairs was proof enough that someone had stolen Adam's keys.

Belladonna tried to run but the space was limited. She couldn't hide neither. Her bones froze the moment that pirate laid his eyes on her. A creepy smile showed his intentions and Blake knew she was unarmed and defenseless.

"Come here, little girl." He said, dragging her upstairs with brutal strength. Blake tried to resist his iron hold but he was too strong for her alone. Once they got outside on the bridge, every rain drop seemed to get nailed on her skin, it was almost more painful than the pirate's fingers around her arm. A small boat was prepared at the bottom of it and there were two more pirates waiting.

"Good idea, man!" She recognized one of them by the voice and the bandage on his leg. It was Perry, the one she had stabbed before. "We'll have fun while waiting for the corpse."

"What corpse?! What are you implying?!" Belladonna asked, continuing to being dragged.

"Our dear captain soon will fall and we will decide for our own." The one holding her replied. "But you already knew that, right, sneaky kitty?"

"Let me go!" Blake started to cry and resist harder. She couldn't believe this idiots were going to succeed, it was impossible!

However, the three pirates overpowered the prisoner and she soon found herself in their hands. One of them took out a knife as the other two restrained her on the floor. Blake closed her eyes and yelled, crying for help and begging to the gods that all of that was just a nightmare. But the frozen drops of water continued pinching at her skin, a sign that all of that was real.

A hand got tight around her neck as another two pinned her wrists down. The knife kept tearing her clothes apart and her skin was soon exposed to the coldness of the tempest. There was no escape. It was the end.

"You idiots!" A manly voice suddenly yelled at the pirates. "Run! Get out of there!"

Only then and when the pirates hands were off her, Belladonna dared to open her eyes. She saw an upcoming wave over the ship. It was enormous. She tried to follow the pirate's steps as they ran to the other extreme of the ship. But believing it or not, the wave was going to swallow all of them into the sea.

The impact didn't result as cold as she thought. It was an intense force that pushed her out of the board. The fall was quick and the water invaded the cat faunus senses, the difference between being outside and inside the water almost unnoticeable. Under the shallow, everything was dark. The water seemed to imprison her body even deeper. However, Blake knew what she had to do and moved her legs with all the strength she has left. That impulse along with the movement of her arms helped her touch the surface.

The gentle caress of the air hit Blake hard. She gasped for air and managed to breathe but the water still tried to fill her lungs. The rain fell like bullets on the salty mirror of the sea and in comparison of the ship and the grey clouds, the cat faunus was a small ant. The waves barely let her breath as she tried to search for something to hold onto. She knew that if she didn't find something to stay floating eventually the waves would make her drown and then she wasn't sure if she would have enough strength to swim upward once more.

"Help!" Blake yelled, seeing that the ship was still floating and hoping somebody held and stayed in the bridge. "Somebody?!" She yelled again, assuming that everybody on the bridge had fallen on the water too.

A thunder broke the sky in two and a few seconds later Belladonna saw how the lightning broke the mainmast in two, making it swing side to side with the wind. It would fall to the water too. The piece of wood finally broke in two and slowly hit the edge of the boat. Blake then saw how it was about to fall to the sea, just right over her. And it was too late to dodge it.

When the broken mast hit the water, Blake drowned again. She felt how the wood didn't allow her to reach the surface again. The air on her lungs slowly escaped as she resisted the pressure. Her arms were still fighting to go outside, she could swear her fingertips had crossed the surface. And when she thought she would never see the sunlight again, a strange force lifted her up, freeing her from the wood's asphyxiating pressure.

She opened her eyes a while later when the raindrops were slower and the waves more calmed. She found herself in a small boat like the one those three pirates wanted to use to get rid of the captain's corpse. The captain…

"Adam!" Blake muttered in a desperate intent of yell but ended coughing some water that had been trapped in her lungs due a last intent to breathe underwater.

Somebody's gentle arms managed to get her on her knees. She was surrounded by some pirates of the ship that she hadn't seen yet. No Yuma nor his traitors who wanted to backstab the captain. Adam neither.

"W-who are you?" Belladonna asked, fearful of being in bad hands again. The man in front of her was older than the other pirates and had a very long and grey beard.

"I believe we haven't met. We're the machinerie team, in charge of the well-, machines." He introduced himself and by his expression and words, he seemed trustworthy.

"Where's the captain?" Blake asked again. "What happened before the wave?"

The immediate change of expression of the old pirate gave the cat faunus a very bad feeling. His eyes traveled behind Blake where more men were resting from the storm. She turned and saw that in the middle of them, there was their captain and his clothes stained with red blood.

"He got shot." The machine man explained as Blake made herself a seat near the unconscious captain. "The bastards who betrayed him are lost, we found Taurus about to drown. Just like you. However, he still hasn't woken up."

The prisoner held his cold face between her hands. Judging from the flow of the blood, the shot had been in his back, just under the shoulder. A bullet there wouldn't be so critical to actually kill somebody, but adding the fact that he had also fallen to the water…

"Come on, wake up!" Blake muttered, slapping his cheek. "Please, wake up…" Now it was more a desperate beg than a whisper.

No reaction came from the captain and everybody was silent as if they were actually mourning his death. No, he wasn't dead yet. His heart was hardly beating but was keeping him alive. He needed to cough the water out from his lungs as she did. But first he had to regain the consciousness.

The cat faunus stared around at the other loyal pirates that were saddened for their captain's condition. "Won't you help him?! There's still a chance to survive!" Belladonna yelled and somebody seemed to take her as insane for still having hope.

Despite the judgemental looks of the others, Blake kept trying to make the captain wake up. She kept screaming 'captain' and hitting him slightly to try and make him react someway. Every second counted, every heartbeat could be the last and then there will be no hope in having him breathing again.

"Captain Taurus!" One of the men on the boat started to yell, joining Belladonna, shaking his good shoulder as well. "Wake up, captain!"

As the other pirate did, the other slowly joined and tried to stabilize the wound and stop the blood flowing out of his body. Another two covered his freezing body with clothes, despite being wet at least it served as a shelter from the wind.

"Come on!" Belladonna cried, her warm teardrops impacting with his cold face. "Don't do this to me! You have to take me back home and bring your men to the land!"

And as if she has said some kind of special conjuring, the captain's blue eyes got open.

* * *

The next time he woke up, he did because something very warm was caressing his chest. Before his eyes could even adjust to the light, he already knew whose touch it was. The silky texture of her hair was tingling his face as the bandages under his shoulder were being changed. Her smell was unique and having her so close resulted even uncomfortable for its intensity. Somehow, he did survive but he guessed it had been more struggle from the one nursing him than for himself.

"Why…?" His voice sounded hoarse so he cleared his throat before continuing his question. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because the rest of your men are busy trying to command the ship without a captain." The cat faunus replied, knotting the bandages tight so the wound was protected from any friction with the bedsheets.

"Then I'll go and let them know that I'm back." He sentenced and tried to lean over but his body hurt too much and was forced to lay down once more. He resisted to not grunt due to the pain and the sound came out muffled.

"They checked on us before the nocturne turn. They won't return until tomorrow." Blake said, helping him with the pillows, placing them properly so his wound wouldn't have much pressure on it. "But they'll be glad you're back. The ones that stayed are loyal to you, captain."

What a change of attitude little Belladonna had. At least with him. She tried to smile and make a good face for him so everything would seem perfectly fine even in his absence. However, the dark circles under her eyes were an evident proof of her lack of sleep. Furthermore, she was also pale and her hair roots were dirty, a sign that she didn't get to clean herself properly in the last days. He had no idea of how many time he had been unconscious on that bed and what happened during those days but his prisoner surely had a rough time and he wasn't sure if asking was a good idea.

"Can't you go and tell them that I'm awake?" He asked again. If the loyal ones were aboard why did Belladonna seem hesitant of exiting their cabin?

"Actually, I can't." She replied and slightly lifted her leg up so Adam could see a chain on her ankle that kept her attached to the bed. "They don't trust me."

Now that he had his eyes on her, he noticed the poor state she was in. Beside from her pale skin, her clothes were broken, as if somebody had cut them with a knife. Her body was partly shown and she had only a small blanket to cover herself. He, instead, was covered by the bedsheets and a thick blanket and still was cold. He couldn't imagine the coldness Blake was feeling by being sitting on the floor and dressed with a blanket. She noticed his eyes on her body and tried to hide the trembling. She had been nursing him all this time and his men barely gave her food in exchange. The first thing he would do would be scold them for such behavior towards the prisoner.

"Somebody will return tomorrow. Just rest for now." The cat faunus suggested and leaned her head on one side of the couch, willing to sleep.

"Lay with me." Belladonna's cat ears perked up at that command. She stared into his icy eyes and didn't find any piece of hesitation. "Don't be silly, prisoner. You're freezing. Come here."

Shyly, the cat faunus got up from the floor. She kneeled on the couch where Adam was lying, his bed. They would share it. She hesitated some more but the warmth under the blankets was all she needed. His good hand made her lay down, pushing her back down so she would lay with him. Afterward, he covered her body with the blanket. The tremble was still there but from time to time it got almost unperceivable. Her usual vanilla scent was gone and her skin smelled of salt and water. She probably hadn't showered since they fell of the ship.

"Thank you." Blake whispered and made herself comfortable leaning closer to the crook of his neck. Luckily, that side they shared was his good one.

"What happened during the attack?" He asked suddenly assuming that if the wave had taken her overboard she hadn't been locked in the cell. "Did somebody hurt you?"

"No." She lied, Adam knew that it was a lie too. "I'm not in the mood to talk about it right now."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Blake, however, didn't reject their contact and leaned closer to his warmth. Finally after so many days, she was sleeping in a bed. A decent rest was all she wished right now. Her eyelashes were an incredible weight for her now, everything was too heavy to keep herself awake.

"You were right." Taurus sentenced, referring to her warning about the betrayal of half of the tribulation. "And still they took me by surprise." He did really trust her now but in that moment he didn't know exactly who to trust and that ended with him being shot.

"But you are alive." Blake objected.

"Thanks to you." The captain guessed, not remembering much from the storm. She had also been the one nursing him. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks and a soft smile was drawn on her lips. "Don't get used to my praise, darling."

There it was. Somehow he had to ruin every good sensation Blake felt briefly on her stay on the ship. It was part of his personality, and his role in the ship. He couldn't soften and less with a prisoner or another rebellion would happen. She did understand but now they were alone and that harshness wasn't needed. However, some sympathy would have been appreciated.

"Get some sleep, captain." Belladonna advised, pissed off. "Tomorrow there will be a lot of work to do."

Blake closed her eyes and tried to conceal some sleep before their actual situation got more embarrassing. Before drifting off to the dream world, however, an arm got tangled around her waist, pulling her closer towards great warmth.

* * *

When the sun rose, on of Adam's men entered the captain' cabin and found him sleeping with the prisoner. He kept his mouth shut and woke the prisoner with a rough pull on her arm causing her to fall from the couch. Blake's head impacted with the wooden floor and the sound of that has been so loud that even the captain himself had woken up. When he opened his eyes found one pirate grabbing Belladonna's hair roughly and yelling at her.

"Do you think it is appropriate to share the same bed as the captain?" He had asked her.

"Let go!" The cat faunus yelled and managed to free herself but impacting once more with the floor.

"Boatswain." Adam suddenly called him, causing surprise on his face. "Treat the prisoner better, she has done a lot of work to keep me alive."

"Y-yes sir!" The pirate replied. Then stared at the prisoner who was still on the floor and covering her body barely hidden by tore clothes. "When did you wake up?"

Taurus sighed, ignored his man and got up from the bed, struggling at first but maintaining the composure in front of Blake and the boatswain. He didn't show any sign of pain and stretched his arms a bit, noticing that his shoes and shirt were missing. He had to go out there and reaffirm his role as captain once more. If the ship was still damaged from the storm his figure was even more needed than normal. He really didn't feel ready to go upstairs as every movement on his body hurt but he didn't care. Nobody would steal his command on his ship.

"Prisoner, help me get dressed." The captain ordered roughly so the silent Blake had to collect his clothes that were on a close chair and slowly helped him put them on. "Something new on the bridge?" He asked to his man.

"The Belladonnas has brought us more food and supplies." He replied, staring at the little one who was now giving Adam his shoes.

"Perfect. Untie the prisoner and let her be for now." That last order cheered up Blake, who was tired of having to sit on the floor due to the chain on her ankle. The boatswain reached for the key that was inside the captain's desk and unchained little Belladonna. She stared at the bowl of food on the desk, now she could reach it and at least have one decent meal. "We're returning to the bridge, there will be a change of plans." He sentenced, staring at Blake more than at his boatswain as if that were something about her and not about the tribulation. A strange feeling filled Blake's stomach that made her hunger go away instantly…

When the tribulation saw Adam back on the bridge, everybody cheered. The bull faunus, however, wasn't so glad. Their ship was in bad conditions, pieces of wood broken, small boats missing, the mainmast broken in two…. The reparations would last a lot of time. It was a miracle that the ship didn't sink.

Taurus got outside, on the deck. Everybody remained silent and waiting for their captain to speak. His decision would be revealing.

"Change of plans, pirates." He announced. "We're leaving Menagerie's coast. Prepare to leave."

Back inside the ship, something pierced Blake's chest. It was a very bad feeling and her instincts were never wrong

* * *

Belladonna had eaten, cleaned herself in the now empty bathrooms and after giving herself some pampering decided to rest some more in the warmth of the bed. When she woke up, the sunlight had already faded. Dusk fell as the cat faunus rose, brushed her hair, changed her clothes and ate some more fresh fruit. If it weren't for the supplies her parents were sending them, she would be starving. And the stupid pirates too. Or they would proceed and return to stealing even though they were anchored near the island. But of course her father wouldn't allow that. Menagerie people needed to feel safe. He had done a lot of work to make the island safe. She missed the land and her family a lot. Yes, definitely, she was homesick.

Determined to make herself feel better, the prisoner went upstairs, thanking that the cabin door wasn't locked. She needed fresh air to clear her mind. Also seeing Menagerie distant lights would make her feel better. She also missed walking barefoot on the sand of the beach with the light of torched and the stars during night. It was her way to relax. Here in the ship only the sound of the waves could be considered relaxing but since she fell off-board she didn't find any comfort on that anymore.

When she arrived outdoors, a quick question crossed Belladonna's mind: should she enter the bridge first and ask Adam how he was feeling? No, better not. She needed to spend some time alone. Beside, the deck was empty and nobody would disturb her. The difference before and after the rebellion was very evident. Less pirates, less noise and the ship more damaged. Each wood table cracked as she stepped her way to the bottom of the ship to contemplate the island. She leaned her arms on the edge and looked at the horizon and how the orange tones disappeared behind the black sky. Nighttime was her favorite time of the day and nothing would change that. Her eyes traveled up to the sky, the clouds were gone and the stars shone brightly. Nevertheless, there felt like something was missing.

"Where's Menagerie?" Belladonna asked, confused, not seeing any light on the distance.

She went to the other side of the ship, desperately looking side to side. No way that the torches on the beach weren't lit. The island couldn't have disappear but there were no traces of land. Menagerie was nowhere to be found no matter in which direction the cat faunus searched for.

'A change of plans…' Blake remembered the captain saying this. Could it be that he referred to-?!

A very furious Belladonna entered the bridge without previous advice. There she found Adam and the stupid boatswain that had kept her chained on the cabin all those days. She ignored his presence and moved next to Adam who had his eyes focused on the sea and was actually guiding the boat with the helm.

"Did you change the course of the ship?!" The prisoner asked, her voice almost broken because of how helpless she felt.

The captain stared briefly at her and then at his boatswain. "Leave us alone, please." He said and immediately the pirate left.

When the door got closed, Taurus stabilized the helm and the course of the ship. Then left his attention completely on Blake, who was still waiting for an answer. She was so nervous that her arms were trembling.

"My priorities have changed." Adam confessed. "So the course of the ship has changed too."

"Where are we going?" Belladonna asked but then rephrased her question, she didn't want to know that now. "What could be more important than returning to the land?"

"That doesn't concern you." He replied in a tone that could intimidate anyone. But she didn't fear him anymore, she feared the fact that she couldn't return home. "I just changed my mind."

"Let me return home!" It came out as a beg although she didn't want to. "It's okay if you don't want the land anymore but I do!"

The cat faunus had to turn her head aside to hide the tears about to fall. She couldn't make herself vulnerable. She didn't want him to see her cry. However, it was too late. He was too close to not notice her silent sobs. And this time, instead of laughing at her sadness or locking her away, the captain embraced her trembling body and pushed her tightly against himself. Blake's heart skipped a beat while he leaned on her contact. He hushed her and rubbed her back in soothing circles. She couldn't believe what was happening.

"I've found something more precious than land." He whispered to her cat ears. "So I'm leaving before anyone else tries to steal it away from me. Do you understand, darling?"

No, she didn't understand. She didn't want to give her own hopes up because there was some kind of hidden message on his words. His actions were so contradictory that it was hard to read him. Blake looked up at his eyes, trying to solve her questions. Something strange was on his glance. It made her stomach twist weirdly. She didn't know what it was. When she made a step back, scared, his fingers were nailed harder on her waist. He wasn't letting her go and that scared her more than nothing else. She couldn't stay trapped in the ship.

"No." Blake muttered, refusing his touch and shaking her head to try and clear her thoughts. "Lend me a boat, I'll return on my own, I don't care. There's no way I'm staying here."

"You have no choice." He sentenced.

His hand tried to reach for her but little Belladonna avoided his touch. She dodged him and ran towards the helm. With all the possible strength, the cat faunus grabbed the helm and turned it around. The course of the ship changed brutally as a consequence of her sudden turn. Adam and Blake lost their equilibrium. He impacted with the wall and the prisoner fell to the floor. The helm kept spinning on its own, making it almost impossible to be standing on the ship.

"What are you doing?!" The captain yelled at her. After that hard hit, his wound on the shoulder started to hurt again. He could feel his clothes getting wet. "You don't even know which direction to take!"

The ship was out of control. The cat faunus had no idea of how to fix the course. The captain stepped forward despite the inclination of the ship. He managed to apprehend little Belladonna with his arms as with his right hand stopped the helm from keeping spinning. The pain on his shoulder increased as he struggled with the ship and his prisoner. Nevertheless, when Belladonna's eyes spotted blood stains on his white shirt, she stopped her tantrum and placed her hand too on the helm to stabilize the boat.

Slowly, the ship was controlled and all the tribulation could maintain their feet on the ground once more. Blake impacted with the captain's chest, who was angry. His gentle touch now was gone.

"Are you satisfied?" Adam raised his voice and stared at his bloody clothes. It really hurt. "Or do you want me to lock you up?"

"I don't care anymore!" Belladonna yelled as his grip on her shoulder tightened. She really was out of control and as much as he tried to calm her she got even more nervous. "I won't stop until you let me return home!"

"Then I'll treat you as you deserve: like a prisoner."

Taurus restrained the cat faunus and lifted her feet from the floor so she could not escape from him. She yelled, tried to bite and scratch him but he was stronger than her, much stronger. For him, her weight was like a feather but the wound on his shoulder was giving him some problems.

Just in the right moment when he wanted to open the door, the boatswain returned, alarmed because of the sudden turn of the ship. However, when he saw that the captain was fighting with the prisoner he understood immediately what happened and didn't ask any question.

"Let me handle her, sir!" The boatswain proposed, staring at the tantrum Blake was making.

"No, you take care of the helm while I'm gone." The captain ordered and left with the agitated Blake who couldn't stop trying to get free.

Adam dragged little Belladonna during most of the way back to the cabin. She wouldn't stop yelling and kicking until she returned to Menagerie and that could take a lot of time. When they entered the cabin, he pushed her to one side with the luck that Blake only impacted with the bed. She expected him hurting her but it was just the reverse. The captain leaned the weight of his body on his desk. His shoulder was bleeding. He took off his shirt, forcing his body once more, making worse the re-open wound. It was impossible for him to reach it and even less possible to heal it for himself. His eyes traveled back to Blake, who was terrified observing how bad his back looked. He obviously needed her help. But would she grant him help despite taking her away from home? She had all the rights to be angry, Adam understood it because he was also being selfish with his decisions.

"If I help you, will you let me go?" Belladonna tried to negotiate, drying her tears and calming her rapid breathing.

"No, darling." He grunted and slid down until he sat on the wooden floor.

The cat faunus shook her head, disappointed. Her sentimentalist couldn't allow her to let him keep suffering as vengeance. Her duty was to help him or she wouldn't forgive herself. She grabbed the bandages and kneeled in front of him. He immediately leaned on her shoulder as she started to clean the blood off his skin. Both remained silent, Blake tried to keep her head cold to help him despite everything. She tied the bandages tight so the blood could stop flowing out of the wound. Only then, she spoke:

"You have no right of keeping me here, breaking the promise you made to my father and chieftain of-..." Belladonna continued insisting but this time much more calm, her voice with a sad tone rather than angry like before.

"I know, my darling." He tried to hush her despite not being as nervous as before. His hand caressed her hair as she continued healing him. "You just can't trust a pirate. Do you know why?"

Blake leaned back and faced the captain. Their eyes were locked together.

"Because when pirates find a more precious treasure, they leave everything they have to possess it."

"What does it has to do with Menagerie and me? Did you hear about a pricy treasure?" The innocence filled her voice. He has been trying to reason with her since she interrupted in the bridge and she still hadn't understand.

"No. The treasure is already on my ship. So I have to leave to protect it from the others that also crave it."

Blake narrowed her eyes as she tried to comprehend. Adam remained silent until her expression changed, finally comprehending what he meant. However, her reaction wasn't what Taurus wanted. She moved away and embraced herself, her face revealed that she still feared him and everything that involved being on the ship. The captain didn't even know how exactly his wish to have her had appeared, but the fact was that he wanted to possess her. Nobody else would lay a finger on her. She was perfect, so good that healed him despite of hurting him more and taking advantage of the situation. Adam knew that on the land it would be impossible to continue seeing her. On the ship however, he could do whatever he pleased and nobody would question him.

"You know I don't belong here." The cat faunus said, finally turning to face him. "It's so easy for you. You don't even have a family!"

"We could be one." He suddenly proposed, trapping her hand and pulling her near him. She ended kneeled back into the floor, being just a few centimeters away from him. "Think about it."

"You're not even giving me a choice, do you realize that?" Blake replied, not wanting to fall into his game.

"This is my ship, I decide where we are going. Menagerie isn't on my list of destinies anymore."

Her palm impacted with Adam's cheek, leaving a red mark on his skin. The pirate touched the burning place that she slapped and noticed the pain. She was feisty and he liked that from her. Her expression didn't show regret. In fact, she needed to hit something to feel better. The pressure on her chest seemed to go down at least momentarily.

"You're so selfish." Belladonna spat. "If you even loved me a little bit you wouldn't be doing this."

"I never mentioned love, my dear." His smirk was terrifying, implying that he was after something else about her.

Her fear increased as he leaned forward, trapping her body between his muscular arms. His face got closer but Blake leaned her body back, trying to escape from the small distance between them. She ended laying on the floor as he positioned himself on top of her. His breath got closer to her skin and she closed her eyes. His fingers caressed her jaw and delicately lifted her chin. While one hand of his stroked her silhouette, the other played with her lips.

"I may be stubborn when I see something that I like." He confessed, caressing her curves. "But I'm not like the others, I won't make anything that you don't like."

With that sentence, she opened her eyes. His look made her believe that, he had always respected her body, but his look also showed the attraction she felt towards her. He caressed her softly while the other pirates had tried to rip her clothes off and force her. He was also handsome, much more attractive than his disgusting tribulation. She really believed he was different, but how much was she willing to trust his intentions? Her physical well-being was at risk. Well, that wasn't new. Since she had been kidnapped on the ship she had been at risk. But at least she was still in one piece. For now.

"You did something that I don't like. Steal me away from my family and home." She reminded.

"But what tells you that you won't like staying here?" His hand held hers tightly but with tenderness at the same time. "You can't even imagine how much pleasure I can give you."

How did he do it? Switch from tenderness to lust. Those unknown feelings scared Blake. Before she could even realize it, his lips were on hers. She felt warm and nice but despite that, the cat faunus placed her free hand on his chest to try and push him away. He moved back to let her breathe, breaking the kiss. They stared at each other for a long time but Belladonna didn't spoke nor complain so he leaned forward once more and kissed her again, this time being more daring. The cat faunus trembled at first but then her instincts got used to the sensation and replied to his movements, opening her mouth for him to kiss her deeper. He guided her hand that he was holding to his chest and she started touching his skin, enjoying its warmth. However, when he tried to lift her shirt to go forward, Blake broke the kiss and stopped his hand.

"I can't do this. This isn't right." Belladonna said, guilty and ashamed for letting herself go like that. She sat on the floor and he did the same. However, she got closer to him instead of leaving. With her hand on his collarbone, she stared at him. "What can I do for you to reconsider your decision?"

The captain couldn't help but laugh at her pathetic intent to convince him. He grabbed her hand that tried to caress him seductively and kissed her knuckles.

"Nothing, my darling." He replied, caressing her hand. "Just relax and try to enjoy your stay here."

The cat faunus lowered her sight and didn't answer him. The captain sighed and kneeled forward to place a kiss on her forehead, a tender gesture that surprised Belladonna and made her cheeks burn.

"You'll get used to this before you notice." He promised, whispering softly at her cat ears.

* * *

Blake counted the days that she had spent on the ship. She marked each one of them inside the poetry book that Adam owned. During her silent imprisonment she had nothing to do. She spent the day reading or outside the deck when she got tired of being locked in the cabin. She was alone and Taurus had warned her about being discreet about their 'relationship' whatever it was. So she stayed away from him during the day and when dusk arrived they had dinner together in the cabin. It was better to leave the tribulation out of knowing if they had a more personal relationship. For everybody, she still was a prisoner. Well, she really was one because she didn't possess free will to go wherever she wanted. And she had no way to escape neither, it was complicated while being surrounded by the sea. As much as she thought about it the more complicated it was to make a possible plan to disappear.

As much as he had assured her that feelings weren't involved, Belladonna found Adam being too caring for just being attracted to her. Seeing him acting so rude and cold towards his men and then being so tender with her was a huge contrast. Then she remembered what Yuma told him the day of the rebellion on the bridge: 'You are not made of stone…' If that was the case and he hid something more under his attraction for her then she figured that it could be used at her favor. If she was his weakness then she could take advantage of it to to get what she wanted: return home.

She didn't dislike Adam. In fact, she didn't feel disgusted when he cuddled with her at night or kissed her. But she had something assumed: if she had to choose between a pirate and home she would choose home to see her family again and step on the land. But as much as she tried, Taurus didn't want to let her go. He was very stubborn as he had told her. At that pace, she would never convince him. If they kept cohabitating on his cabin maybe he would even get more attached to her to not call it 'love'. Then it would be harder to let her go.

Belladonna knew she had to do something about it. She had tried to return home in a good way: being nice to him, responding to all his affections and staying quiet about his decisions. None of that worked and there was the possibility that it even made the contrary result. Now it was time to try to return home the bad way.

So, that night, before he would come downstairs with dinner, Blake hid one of his knives under her nightgown. She didn't know when to strike, she believed in the right opportunity. It would depend on the moment. That uncertainness made Belladonna be even more nervous.

When he opened the door, the cat faunus jumped scared and let out a small yell. The captain laughed at her reaction and left their dinner on the table. Then, when his hands were free, he held Blake close and kissed her cheek gently.

"How have you been, my darling?" He purred, stroking her black hair.

He reached for a kiss on her lips but Blake slipped out of his reach. Instead of deception, a playful smirk was drawn on his mouth. The cat faunus regretted that since it could have been an opportunity to hit him without previous advice.

"I'm sorry." Blake apologized, knowing that when a round of kisses started he wouldn't stop soon. "I still haven't gotten used to this… proximity."

"It's okay, Blake. We've got all the time in the world." He replied and held her hand, guiding her to her seat in front of the desk. Then he sat on the other side, being face to face. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, a little bit." Belladonna admitted, a little embarrassed because a growl escaped out of her stomach while smelling the food. They still were eating of her father's supplies and it had been almost two weeks since they had left the island's shore. How would they keep eating if nobody gave them food? The answer echoed on her head. They were pirates, of course, stealing was their thing.

"Listen, dear." He suddenly said, more serious. It was a tone he used rarely with her an only for important things. Blake left her dish aside despite having curiosity about what she would eat. "Tomorrow we'll assault a ship and I want you to be safe while doing sol. Have I made myself clear?"

She nodded and remained silent. She didn't like what they did but somehow they had to survive and that was their way to make due. She was nobody to complain and change that. Pirates have always done that and she couldn't make anything to avoid it.

Belladonna started to eat. It was soup made of whatever those herbs were. It wasn't much to kill her hunger but at least she wouldn't be starving. Adam was eating the same thing. She guessed they were running out of resources and that was why tomorrow they had to attack a ship.

"You're very quiet tonight. Is something wrong, my darling?" He seemed worried for her.

However, Belladonna's silence was because of her hidden knife and the upcoming attack to return home. She had only one opportunity. If she failed god knew what would happen to her. Adam could either laugh at her pathetic intent or punish her and let her rot in the cell. That pressure was making her look more pale than usual and made her sweat a little.

"I'm not feeling very well, Adam." She lied, using a tissue to dry a layer of sweat on her forehead. "It may be seasickness."

"Maybe. The sea is a bit agitated tonight." He replied, looking through the colored crystals that showed them the sea. "But you've been through a lot more worse than this." He added, remembering that horrible storm that made them both end off-board. "Are you sure it's just seasickness?" He asked again.

Blake's hands trembled under the table. Why so many sudden questions out of nowhere? Could it be that he suspected that she had been behaving for him to trust her and then stab his back to leave? Or maybe he has noticed that one of his knives was missing. No, that couldn't be possible because he hadn't opened the weapon closet since she had stolen the knife.

Before she realized, Adam was kneeled beside her seat. He held her shaky hand and stared at her eyes.

"It's alright if you're sad because you miss your land." Taurus guessed, making Blake sigh out of relief. "We can go straight to bed if you wish. I'm tired too."

"Yes, please." She replied and he got up and with a single sip finished the rest of the soup left on his dish.

The cat faunus didn't even touch the soup anymore and got up to lay in bed on her usual spot. She touched the knife under her nightgown, making sure it was still there. Yes, maybe while sleeping it would be the best moment to attack. Adam meanwhile lit a large candle to have a little light during the night. He turned off the other candles and lights and then moved to the bed. Blake moved to one side to let him have his space and laid beside him, shyly leaning part of her head on his good shoulder. His hand immediately moved up to caress her raven mane and turned slightly to face her. He made sure to cover her whole body with the blankets to keep her warm. Then pampered her with soft caresses on her face too. It seemed almost impossible that the pirate Adam was the same as the Adam that was laying there with here.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked very softly, not wanting to startle her as she had her eyes closed and seemed to be resting well. He only received a soft nod as response.

Belladonna kept faking her sleep until his caresses stopped. Then waited some more as precaution. His breath got stable and soft, very relaxed. It was a sign that he had concealed a deep sleep. His grip on her waist had become loose and she knew that she had to take that opportunity before he tightened it again. Even in his sleep he was possessive of her. What could have created that desire? Blake had started thinking that maybe it had been an unconscious feeling from the start and that was why he made her stay in the ship as guarantee of his broken pact with her father.

The cat faunus took the knife out of her nightgown and kneeled on the bed. He got positioned on top of him, his hips between her thighs. The knife suddenly felt very heavy on her hand. She lifted it and stared at the asleep man under her. She didn't know where to strike, she didn't know if she was capable to do it. In fact, what would she expect after hurting him? He had survived a storm and a treason in the same night and while being shot. But now he had his guard down. Maybe if she threatened him it would work. Or not. If everything failed she could expect the worse. He had believed that their 'relationship' or however that could be called was true. He wouldn't expect it. It would be the second time that someone would betray him. What a miserable life. He shouldn't trust anybody.

And while Belladonna stood on top of him with the knife near his heart, she started thinking about him and the fact of ending his life. She couldn't, she realized. She wouldn't forgive herself if she did even if she got home afterwards. That was in the best of cases. The possibilities were too small. The tribulation that had stayed was loyal to their captain, they would take vengeance on her. She would never return home. She would never see her family again. And while thinking so intensively, a tear escaped from her eyes, falling on his face.

It only took that small salty drop to wake him up. When he did, saw the sharp edge of the knife pointed at his chest. And Blake, his little darling, was who was holding it up, ready to attack in any moment. He couldn't believe she had the guts to steal from his weapons and plan whatever she was thinking. The only thing he knew was that all of that surely was because she still wished to return to her home. If she knew that everything was closer than she expected…

"Blake, what the hell are you doing?" The captain asked, making her notice that he had woken due to her tears.

The cat faunus, with her pulse trembling, placed the knife on his neck, very close to his skin. Taurus knew better than anyone that his knives were so sharp that with only touching it could draw blood.

"Take me back home." She demanded with fury and sadness on her voice, all mixed up. "Now!"

The pirate held his palms up as a sign of rendition and Blake separated the knife from his neck some centimeters. She couldn't believe it had been so easy. And Taurus couldn't believe she had trusted him so easily.

"I can't do that, my love."

In a blink of an eye, Adam had stolen the knife from Blake's hand and had turned the roles. When the cat faunus opened her eyes again she found herself in the position he had been a few seconds ago: under him. He placed the knife on her cheek and pressed slightly, threatening to draw blood. Terror was all over her face, still assuming that the roles had changed. How did he even do it so quickly? He was furious and his hands were trembling too but because of the adrenaline, not out of fear like Blake's.

"Silly girl." He said, pressing harder the edge against her cheek. Blake let out another tear as it cut the first layers of skin. "I can be very gentle, Blake. You've seen that these days." He started, moving slight the knife down, amplifying the cut.

"But I also can be very soulless. And you're about to see it for yourself." He sentenced.

With the knife placed now against her neck as she did before with him, his other hand traveled down her body. When his fingertips got a grip on her thighs to part her legs, Belladonna yelled and tried to move away, startled, but the knife reminded her of the danger moving could suppose.

"Tell me, my darling: Would you prefer dying than being mine?" He asked, seeming amused for her reaction to his fingers exploring her core. "Answer me." He demanded roughly, pushing his hand against her center.

"I'm sorry..." Belladonna cried, fearing that he could slit her throat in any moment.

"Of course you are sorry." He growled, getting rid of her underwear with a rough pull. "You're going to regret all of this."

He threw away the knife, making it impact with the floor. However, the pressure on her neck was now applied with his hand as he started lifting her nightgown. When Blake started to struggle, he pinned her wrists over her head and kissed her bloody cheek, licking the wound to heal it someway. She felt the itchy pain and muttered more apologizes but none of that worked anymore. It only made Adam slow down a bit. He wanted to pretend that he didn't have compassion for her but it was just the contrary. She was his weakness but he needed to teach her some respect through fear if he didn't want to wake up with his throat open next time.

"I just want to return home with my family." She tried to explain but he didn't allow her to continue.

He kissed her some more, caressing her stomach and thighs to get her ready for what was about to come. Belladonna was almost paralyzed and could only regret her actions. She felt so damn guilty and couldn't stop muttering words to calm the bull's rage. But only when his mouth was away from hers.

"Hush, my darling." He calmed her, stopping his lips and letting her breathe. He moved his lips down to her neck and placed two wet and slow kisses that made her sigh out of pleasure. As much as she wanted to hid it afterwards, he had noticed. "I'll show you that you are mine. This is your home now."

He let go of her wrists and slowed down his movements. His kisses were softer and wetter as he kept kissing on her sensitive neck. Blake didn't protest and closed her eyes, feeling how his tongue stroked her skin. She had never felt something like that before. It was scary but it felt good anyway. His hand started massaging the spot between her legs, sending chills down her spine. Her facial expression was unique. So unsure of what to do and at the same time enjoying that little punishment he was giving her for her intent of betrayal. The mix of pleasure and fear made the experience exciting.

"I'm in control here." He told her. "If you behave I'll reward you, and if you don't…"

He slapped her thigh to show her that he wasn't afraid of using brute force. The pleasure switched to fear again, a kind of fear that made adrenaline run through her veins. It had been scary at first but now she was burning inside, it was weird. She couldn't describe what her body was feeling but it had something to do with the sneaky hand that kept exploring her intimacy. He felt her being prepared for something harder so he slid one finger inside of her, feeling how tight she was. She would surely enjoy that.

"Are you a virgin, my love?" He asked, pumping his finger in and out of her. She didn't reply, her expression during that moment already told him the answer. Of course she was.

A second digit was inserted into her wet folds and this time she whimpered. Her hand moved down to stop Adam's movements by holding his arm. It burned and the sensation was uncomfortable, at least at the beginning.

"Slow down." She begged. Adam just leaned forward and placed a rough kiss on her, biting her lower lip in the process. "No, darling. I won't have mercy on you." He promised.

Despite her grip on his arm, he continued fingering her, teasing to insert a third digit on her. The cat faunus tried to pull him closer to her to distract him and slow down his movements, but he resisted her embrace and kneeled on the bed, with a hand on her stomach so she couldn't get up and reach for him.

"Quiet." He ordered, and all of sudden his third finger slipped inside of her. She grunted and tightened the bedsheets, feeling herself burn. "Take it all in, prisoner."

Once he felt that she was getting used of his fingers inside of her, the hand restraining her moved up to her neck, just adding a little bit of pressure to threaten her to be still. He leaned down as well and parted even more her legs. Belladonna felt the urge to close her eyes and then felt how his mouth started to kiss her womanhood as well. It was too much for her, she felt that she was losing control and wished more of whatever he was causing her. Her body reached an edge that she was about to experiment: her climax.

"Yes!" She yelled, feeling her legs tremble without control.

"You're mine." Adam told her while she reached that expected orgasm. "Say it!" He commanded but Blake wasn't able to answer as she was experimenting unlimited waves of pleasure.

Once he felt that the pleasant contractions inside her ended, he pressed her neck again. Her attention was drawn to him once more. Then she realized that he wasn't still satisfied with the pleasant torture that was inflicting her. She still hadn't satisfied him in any way and that only made his desire and lust for her grow.

"Did you learn nothing, my darling? Or are you trying to get into my nerves?" He asked, taking his shirt off. His hands stopped at his belt. "Do you want more? Is that it?"

The cat faunus felt the urge to get up and leave but she had nowhere to run. Her legs were still trembling as a consequence of the climax he made her reach. It had felt so good but she was embarrassed. This time his expression seemed different, he had pleased her but now it was his turn to please himself. Blake swallowed down a handful of saliva as his hands unbuckled his belt. When he got rid of his pants, she tried to sit on the bed and move away, but he already knew her too well.

"Be careful." Blake warned when his hand got a grip on her black mane. She had the feeling that the previous game had been just the beginning of something more intense.

He didn't reply and made her face the couch, her stomach on the bed. He let go of her hair and pressed the back of her neck harder against the bed sheets. With his other hand he lifted her hips up, placing a pillow under so she would endure everything better. He had been soft until now. It was time to go harder on her and make her scream his name. He would mark her as his and nothing would change that vow of property over her. This time she would yell that she belonged to him. If not, he wouldn't stop until she did which would make things more fun.

Blake felt the softness of the pillow under her thighs. The grip on her neck got rougher and she was pushed harder against the couch. He was still angry at her. After some seconds without nothing new happening, she felt his member sliding between her folds, not entering her yet. It seemed a lot thicker than his fingers and that thought made her try to move away but he had her held steady. He placed himself before her entrance and leaned down, grabbing a handful of her hair.

"Mine." He whispered at her cat ears. She closed her eyes and held tight the pillow on her head.

Without previous advice, Blake felt him inserting his length inside of her. She bit the pillow to endure the pain and muffled a yell as he tightened his grip around her mane. He gave her a few seconds for her to adjust at his size and get used to the feeling of having him inside but nothing could prepare her for what was about to come.

He nailed his other hand on her butcheek and spanked it hard to make her whimper. He did achieve the sound that he wanted to hear which made him be even more turned on by the situation. Then, he slowly but roughly started to pull and push himself in and out. Heexited her and then in a hard push made her cry. It was so pleasant to hear her under him, moaning like crazy as he sped up his movements. He made her held her face up by pulling her hair and then placed a kiss on her cheek while penetrating her. They were like wild animals, Blake asking for more and Taurus thrusting her even rougher.

"Ah! Adam!" She yelled as he spanked her buttock once more. "Please…" Then begged, feeling her body climbing up and preparing herself for another orgasm. It was music for his ears.

"Do you like it? Do you want more of me?" He asked teasingly, pulling her hair so she could rise her sight and stare at his eyes briefly. She nodded with shyness and he placed a kiss on her cheek before reinitiating the pace.

Not wanting the fun to end so soon, he made her lean down once more and slowed down his pace. He nailed his fingers on her skin and enjoyed the sensation of her virgin walls tightening around him. It has been so long since he had claimed a lady for his own. But doing it with someone as delicate as Belladonna made everything more exciting.

"More…" Blake whispered, too shy to say it out loud. But he had heard her anyway.

"Say you're mine and I'll give you more, my darling." He said, almost stopping his pace to make her go even more desperate. Because of her silence, his hand returned to her neck and slowly choked her. "Say it!" He demanded out of patience.

"I'm yours." She let out in a sigh, he wasn't letting her breathe this time so she complained. "A-Adam!"

"Good girl." He praised her, letting go of the grip on her and lifting her hips once more to finish what he had started.

The frenetic pace made Belladonna build up the lost orgasm from before. Her small whimpers encouraged the captain to go even harder, feeling how every time her walls got tighter around him. He leaned over her petite body to finish his work and increase her speed. Her climax didn't take too long to hit her. Her insides exploded with him, around his length. It was so pleasant that he softly pat her head and then continued for his own release. He almost sank her hips down the pillow as his seed was freed in her, both of them slowly going from extasis to exhaustion.

The cat faunus didn't respond as he exited her and put on his underwear. He got on his feet and grabbed the knife from the floor. He stared at the thin river of blood that had come out of her cheek. Then he asked himself: could she ever be capable of ending his life so coldly?

"Forgive me, Adam." She said, more ashamed for their intense lovemaking than for the previous intent of killing him. He didn't look down at her and left the knife on its usual place, not even caring about hiding them if she planned another murder. He knew that she had learned the lesson.

Before he could realize, her arms were tangled around his back. It felt weird to switch from rough to softness with her. He had never behaved like that with another lover. Blake was different, too noble to break her. He turned around to stare at her. Her nightgown was intact but her broken underwear had slipped down her legs. He opened the closet and handed her a new one. She apologized and, embarrassed, moved to the bathroom to clean herself.

Adam didn't know if he could let her go. It was the price of living in a lie.

* * *

After that night, she got more clingy, something typical on a virgin. He had been her first and despite the lack of care, she had enjoyed being laid by him. Adam, however, was different. He behaved different. It seemed as if he has lost interest on her. That after achieving what he wanted and deflowering her he didn't care about her anymore. Blake was hesitating about touching that topic. There was the possibility that he was hurt because she had planned to betray him. She didn't know, she couldn't be sure, but the change had been very drastic and her stomach warned her about something bad about to happen.

During breakfast, he didn't even stare at her. He just ate in silence. And with each second that passed Blake's heartbeats hurt more due to the guilty feeling she was experiencing. She sat in front of him, with a little pain as a reminder of what had happened last night. He noticed her small whimper while sitting and didn't even react nor said something to mocke her. Had she broken his trust? Could it be fixed anyway? She wanted to talk about it but didn't know how to start. She was feeling weird too. She had assumed she would never return home. So she better cling into the memory of her parents before their factions could be slowly released from her mind. She started to cry while thinking about them and that finally seemed to trigger the absent captain.

He made her get up and dried her tears. Then placed a soft peck on her lips, nothing compared to his fierce kisses.

"Everything will be fixed very soon." He promised, being that sentence so ambiguous that she didn't get the true meaning. However, it made her feel better. "Eat something. I'll come back for you in a while."

He locked the door after he exited. Then she remembered one of the things that he had told her last night: today they would attack a ship.

Fantastic. She would have to spend the day locked inside and worrying too much about everything going wrong. She returned to the bed and embraced the pillow with strength. While sleeping everything was less intense, less painful. Her body could use a nap, she thought. After all, she didn't get much quality sleep after what happened last night. She felt so weird and her body was beating intensively. She didn't know what to think. Did she like it? Did she want more from him? Or would it be best to sleep somewhere else and run from his touch?

Blake wasn't sure as her ideals and what she was supposed to feel about the pirates was contradictory with what her heart felt. Why was everything so confusing? Why did she feel guilty about what happened last night? And what was so messed: Why would she even feel guiltier if she had rejected Adam?

Tired of thinking too much and with her head burning, little Belladonna decides to close her eyes and cover herself with the sheets to recover some sleep. If she waa lucky none of those problems would appear in her dreams.

* * *

Back in the deck, the captain was sighting a smaller ship on the horizon. One of his crew approached him, not knowing how to read his captain's expression.

"Everything is ready for the exchange, captain." The member of the crew informed. The captain didn't answer so he continued. "Do you want me to go and get the girl?"

"No." Adam immediately replied. "I'll do that myself."

The captain turned to check his men over the deck. The ship was arriving.

"Tell the helmsman to drop the anchor." The captain sentenced, his steps towards the door that would lead him downstairs. "Prepare everything for their arrival." Was his last order before disappearing through the door.

He returned to his dorm even though a little time has passed since he left Blake there alone. He didn't care if she asked herself what was he doing there again. He just wanted to hold her one last time before the exchange.

When he arrived at his quarters, he found her on the bed, sleeping. He didn't make any noise and retired his weapons from his belt, leaving them on the table. Then sat carefully on the edge of the couch and took off his shoes to lay down as well. He clutched her asleep form, careful to not shake her and break her fragile rest. Her warmth was comforting and he leaned closer to her, she hadn't noticed him. Her face was neutral, her lips half-open, inviting him to taste them. He couldn't resist the temptation and softly placed a small peck on her mouth. The contact made her open her eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice rusty from the nice nap she was taking. She could read it in his expression, he was worried about something but very likely he wouldn't tell what was everything about.

"Nothing. Keep sleeping." He ordered a little rough and stuffed her face into his chest, sheltering her in a rough way despite the sweetness of the action. Was he embarrassed because she had noticed his kiss while sleeping?

"You can tell me, you know?" Belladonna insisted, her voice muffled against his shirt.

"Shut up, prisoner." He ordered again, nailing his glance on her curious yellow eyes.

"Make me." She replied, getting free from his grip to face him.

Was she desiring more kisses like that one? He wouldn't deny them. Grabbing her by the neck, lifted her face and gave a teasy little kiss. Belladonna tried to get closer but he kept her in place. He made her sit on his lap, placing himself bottom. Then she leaned down and while he held her black mane, she kissed him softly. He kept griping her neck, controlling her breath. That seemed to excite her somehow as she moaned when he slightly squished the sides of it.

"What is it? Do you like me to treat you rough?" Taurus mocked between kisses.

Things just got more wild from then. Belladonna got the control and pressed him against the couch each time he tried to switch roles. The kisses continued and he retired his hand from her neck. Instead, he held her palm and softly caressed it with his fingers while kissing. The passion descended as they entered a romantic trance of caresses. It was weird for him to do it without his roughness and implying care and feelings. But with Blake, it was something he wanted.

When he gripped her buttocks and made her rock her hips against his center, she complained.

"Slow down." She whispered and somehow he obliged.

They got relaxed and ended laying side by side, holding hands and caressing each other in a tender way. He was showing himself vulnerable beside her, with his eyes closed and expression relaxed. How was he so calm after her intent of betrayal last night? She didn't deserve his trust, after all. Then why was he risking himself? Why was he caressing her, laying in the same bed if they weren't going to sleep or claim each other? That first vanilla moment with him confuses the cat faunus so much that she couldn't bite her tongue.

"Are you in love, Adam?" Belladonna dared to ask, breaking the peaceful moment.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"You already heard me." Blake replied, demanding an answer. "Are you?"

"I'm not going to give you an answer, prisoner." Taurus replied, not wanting to think about his own feelings whatever those were.

"Then what are we doing, Adam?" She insisted once more. He didn't reply and didn't seem to want to so she continued. "Why did you make love to me last night, then?"

"I didn't make love to you." He answered with a chuckle while seeing how shy she was while saying so even though it was an euphemism. "I fucked you to teach you some respect, that's different."

The cat faunus remained silent and shyly looked away. Now it was his turn to tease her.

"Why didn't you stop me?" He asked back, exchanging roles once more. "I was obviously rougher than you w-..."

"Let's stop talking about this." Belladonna sentenced before he could continue the rest of the sentence.

How could he get into her head so easily? She herself did that same question to her conscience earlier. Would he have asked her same question in his head too during his absence too? She tried to leave the bed, getting up to sit on the couch. However, he gripped her arm and didn't allow her to leave, forcing her to stay in the couch with him.

"I can play your game too." He told her, more like a warning.

"I'm not playing around with you. That seems to be the difference between us." She replied, hurt.

"You have no option, prisoner." He reminded her and let go of her arm so she could go wherever she wanted freely.

But Blake was way beyond wishing that she could get out of there. She had allowed herself to feel something for a vile and ruin captain. She would be stuck there for a long time or until he got tired of using her. It was her fault for allowing him such power over her. However, she wasn't willing to just leave the room and give him the reason of the argument.

"Why must you torture and humiliate me this way?!" She yelled. Taurus was already expecting her temper.

"You have started everything by asking the wrong questions."

"I just wanted to know what we were." Blake admitted, feeling stupid because she had implied that somebody like him could be capable of loving a prisoner of the ship. "And you have left me clear that you don't love me, that's enough."

With that strong sentence, he also sat on the couch to be at the same height. He held her waist and pulled her closer but Blake stood tall and didn't move. He faced her and when she saw that he had the intention to kiss her lips, turned her head to avoid it. He continued forward and bent down to kiss her jawline. The cat faunus tried to remain quiet while he used his tongue to descend down to her neck. When she noticed that his intentions were go for her weak spot to make her submit, she tries to run away, but his quick hand was places on the wall, blocking her the only escape route.

"Does this feel like humiliation, torture?" He warmly whispered at her human ear to afterwards place a kiss there. "You're being cruel to me because I don't want to say that I'm capable to feel love."

"Don't try to confuse me. I'm tired of your games." Belladonna tried to sound firm and serious but his breath on her neck was making her skin tingle uncontrollably.

"You're doing the exact same thing, can't you see it?" The cat faunus stared at him, confused. He explained himself: "Yesterday you almost kill me and now you're asking me if I love you."

Shame invaded Belladonna. The rose tones on her cheeks due to their intimacy changed to a pale tonality. She felt terribly guilty.

"I wouldn't have-..." But before she could explain herself, somebody knocked twice at the door.

"Captain, everything's ready." One of his subordinates announced and then, judging by the sound of his steps, returned upstairs at the deck.

Belladonna saw how Adam's expression changed severely. Was it about the ship assault they had been planning? Of course they had to live from something and if steal and assault was their thing she could do nothing to impede it. However, for a ship attack, his face wasn't showing much amusement. It was impossible that a pirate like him wasn't excited for an attack.

"What's wrong?" Blake forget their argument, worried for him. He stared at her with confusion. "You're making that worrying face again." Yes, it was the face he was making when he entered the cabin earlier.

"You'll have to come with me." Taurus sentenced, getting up and dragging her along by the grip he maintained on her wrist. Blake complained but he continued his pace, exiting their quarters.

"If you need to lock me up for my own good it's alright. You don't need to be that rough."Belladonna figured, but his silence said otherwise.

He stopped his tracks before the stairs that led to the deck. He made her face him and adrenaline started running through her veins. There was something about all of this that didn't feel right. He was hiding something, a big fact.

"Tell me, please." Blake begged, desperate.

"Cooperate with me. Just that." Adam said after a while remaining silent. However, that didn't vanish her panic.

The captain let go of the prisoner and moves before a closet on the hallway. He opened it and pulled out a rope. Then walked towards her. Blake made an instinctive step backward. Taurus grabbed her arm and made her turn. He pressed his body against hers, crushing her body against the wall and his chest. Then he brought her wrists together behind her back. She felt him tying them.

"What are you doing?!" The cat faunus yelled, alarm because of the sudden restrain on her wrists.

He made her turn again, this time to face him. His glance was piercing, more than usual, a bad sign.

"You'll thank me later for this." He sentenced.

And before she could ask more questions, he held her steady and placed one last kiss on her lips. This one felt different than the others. It expressed desire, frustration, hidden passion… all mixed up. He tightened her back against him with urge and deepened the kiss despite the poor collaboration for her part.

When he released her, his hand covered her mouth in order to impede her to make more questions. Then held the rope that kept her hands tied together and forced her to walk upstairs. The path seemed eternal as Belladonna tortured herself with uncertain questions. What was he doing to do with her? Why did he need to tie her up? How was she going to cooperate while being restrained? What did everything have to do with the ship assault.

When she got out at the deck found all the answers she had been searching for. There was a ship anchored beside Adam's. It wasn't just any ship, she could recognise the emblems craved on its wood. It was her family's ship, the one the pirates had originally assaulted. And in that ship there was her family along with Menagerie guards. Blake tried to scream her parents names but Adam kept shutting her mouth. So she had no more option than obey.

"Are you satisfied now, chieftain? Have you missed your delightful daughter?" Taurus mocked. Blake wasn't capable to recognize his cruel tone. He seemed a completely different person while talking.

"Take your hands off her and the official documents will be yours." Her father sentenced, holding the approved law that would allow the pirates to land on the faunus kingdom.

Adam retired his hands from her mouth but by then her words were long gone. Was this a trap? Why did he lie about a ship assault? Why was their pact still valid after the pirates abandoned Menagerie coast? How did her parents find the pirate's ship?

The captain's hands slowly untied the rope around the cat faunus' wrists. It was as if he didn't want to let her go. But he has made an agreement with his pirates and couldn't break his word. They wanted land so they would have land. No matter the cost.

Blake's hands were released free. The hold on her body disappeared as she was free to return to her parents arms. Nevertheless, the cat faunus turned to stare into the captain's eyes. He looked away for a moment and then returned to meet her sight, signaling with his head for her to go with her family.

Blake didn't oblige and paced towards him with determination. When she was ar a few centimetres, raised her hand and with all the fury slapped his side. The pirates yelled and laughed ar the slap that echoed through the seas.

"You're a bastard." She sentenced in a whisper, only both capable to hear it because of the intense cheering of the pirates.

Taurus didn't say what he thought and let the cat faunus walk away so freely. He was letting her return home so why did she get so furious? She returned to her parent's loving arms and they immediately cradled her, the guards in front to protect the most important family of the island. The Belladonnas shared a too long embrace that even the pirates glances didn't interrupt. Blake cried into her father's chest while her mother caressed her back. She felt used, guilty, stupid… and a long list of terms that left clear that she felt ashamed for letting herself be trapped in the captain's web.

Ghira and Kali shared a quick glance. The patriarch got up, seeing how her daughter's desperate cries couldn't stop.

"I suppose you haven't-..." Ghira started and was stopped by the captains chuckles.

"I've done nothing that she didn't desire." He replied maliciously, earning a hateful glance from the smaller cat faunus. "Now get out of my ship." Adam sentenced.

Ghira made his daughter and wife to get up to return to their own ship. The guards followed the family's steps without taking their eyes off the captain's confusing expression. They didn't let their guard down until the Belladonnas ship sailed and started moving away from the pirate one.

Once the distance between ships was relative, Blake dared to step away from the guards and walked towards one of the sides of the deck. From there, she observed how small the pirate ship was turning as it went further and further. It all had happened too quick to understand the captain's decisions. It was better to not think about it and just accept that she had been just his playtoy to have fun and when he accomplished what he wanted threw her away.

"Blake, dear." The cat faunus was quickly embraced by a warm blanket. "We were so worried when the ship disappeared from the shore after the storm…" Her mother said, her voice trembling of how much she had missed her daughter.

"It's alright, mum. We're together again." Little Belladonna sentenced, forgetting about the pirate ship disappearing on the horizon. "That's all that matters."

* * *

One night, the cat faunus felt the urge to go for a walk. She grabbed a book and a big towel and exited the Belladonna manor without alerting anyone. She was headed towards the dock's beach, willing to lay on the sand and read at the torches' light until sleepiness took over her. It was very late so when she arrived at her destiny, the beach was desert. The market was already closed and the lights of the commercial area were shut down. The only sound audible was the one coming from the waves, the water rushing forward and backward.

Blake forget about everything and took off her shoes to walk near the shore until finding a perfect spot to lay down and start reading. These last weeks back at home, Belladonna learned to forgive herself and accept all her mistakes while being aboard the pirate ship. She has betrayed all her legal standards by getting involved with the captain. It couldn't be undone so the only option she had was to let go and forget her mistakes, in order to forgive herself. For her own sake before her regrets could haunt her forever. Since then, she started to feel as peaceful as ever with her conscience.

Her tracks stopped immediately when the sight of a very large ship anchored in the docks blocked the moonlight from illuminating her path. Belladonna observed the wooden embarkation and its big size. Her eyes stopped at the mainmast. A large piece of cloth was tied around it to keep it together. That peculiar way to fix it made her snap. The ship belonged to Adam's pirates. Since when has it been anchored in Menagerie's docks? The cat faunus decided to not torment herself and walk away from the docks to the other extreme of the beach where there wouldn't be any ships or boats.

Little Belladonna found a perfect spot on the west beach, far from the docks. There, near a path illuminated by torches, she laid the towel and sat down to read her book. The sensation of the sand under her and the sound of the waves was very pleasant while reading. It was a very relaxing therapy that has helped her conceal some sleep. Some said it was thanks to the marine wind, other said that it was an involuntary message that the brain received when seeing nobody around the island. No matter the reason why it helped her, Blake did it anyway.

Nevertheless, that night there was something creeping her. She found it impossible to relax or focus on the book. However, Blake kept faking as if nothing happened, pretending as if she was immersed in her reading. Eventually, she caught a shadow by the corner of the eye. She got up and saw how a human figure sneaked into the darkness of the commercial area, far away from the torches lights.

The cat faunus grabbed one of the torches and walked towards the darkness where she swore the figure was hidden.

"Who's there?!" She asked at the night. Nobody answered. "Show yourself!" She demanded afterwards, with a more authoritarian tone on her voice.

Her cat ears perked up when she heard something. It was between some wooden boxes that were on the floor, beside one of the market stalls. Belladonna walked forward, willing to illuminate the area of the boxes. When she approached and kicked one of the boxes, a bat flew towards her. She got startled and let out a high-pitched yell as the torch fell to the floor.

It took her a few seconds to calm down and stabilize her heartbeats. Only then, she kneeled down to grab the torch. With the light on her hands once more, she could see the shadows projected on the floor. There was her shadow and behind her feminine anatomy another one.

"Glad to see you too again, prisoner." Adam mocked when she turned to face him.

A mix of emotions invaded the cat faunus' chest: anger, sadness, disgust, shame… none of them was positive.

"I'm no longer your prisoner." Belladonna spat out, the only thing she could think to say to answer him. "How long have you been stalking me?"

"You came to my ship. I saw you." He replied. Then Blake remembered his anchored ship on the dock. He probably saw her through the coloured crystals on his cabin. It sounded logical.

"I was just walking by." The cat faunus replied, holding tight the torch and getting up, ready to leave.

"I could say the same." He mocked her again. "And I wasn't stalking you, I was just curious about what you were doing."

"Well, you already know the answer." The cat faunus sentenced and stated walking back to the beach. She perceived his steps following hers. What could he want? She hurried even more to leave the torch on its place and grabbed the book and the towel from the sand. When she realized he was still behind her, looked up at him and before leaving said: "I'm returning home. Goodnight."

However, when she started making her way back home, Adam got a grip on her arm. He pulled her body towards him and despite the softness, it was enough to make her stumble backwards. The book she was holding fell to the sand and along it the towel too. Blake's amber eyes met the ice cold on Adam's.

"Spend the night on my ship, with me." The captain asked her, almost begging it. Then slowly tangled his arm around the cat faunus' back so she couldn't escape from him with only a push.

"I'm not going to entertain you now that you don't have anything to do around the island." Belladonna spat, offended because of his petition. "You already played enough with me, don't you think?"

"I didn't play with you." He replied in a soft tone, trying to calm down the female's anger. The hand that was gripping her arm traveled up to her cheek, cuping it softly despite her rejection. She didn't lean on the contact.

"You told me that I would never return home to make me feel helpless and use it in your favor. Then the next day after you achieved to… lay me down, returned me to my parents." He let her explain so all her fury could be canalized. "You returned me as a disgusting toy. I will never allow you to use me for your delight again."

She tightened his shirt with her fists, frustrated and confused. The bull faunus pushed her head against his chest and ended embracing her despite her lack of cooperation. He felt salty drops on his shoulder, a sign of how hurt little Belladonna was with him. He rubbed her back with soothing circles and hushed her until he believed she was ready to listen to his explanations.

"I swear that it was all a coincidence. We didn't know that your father's ship was following us since the storm. I really thought that I could steal you away." The captain told her. "That night when you pointed at me with the knife I felt betrayed and that was the reason of what I did to you."

"Liar." Blake muttered, not believing his words. Despite this, he continued explaining:

"However, when I had my head cold I comprehended that you needed to go back home, where you belonged. I ordered my men to anchor the ship and wait for your father so you could reunite with your family."

Blake raised her head to meet his glance and try to guess if what he was telling was true. She couldn't focus as he dried her tears with the sleeves of his white shirt. He really seemed changed. He wasn't carrying his weapons and was dressed as a normal citizen, his hair was combed and he seemed better than when he was the captain of the ship. However, Belladonna knew that she couldn't trust his appearance. She knew that the possibility of him acting that way just to spend the night with her company existed. She couldn't fall into his trap again.

"I still can't believe you let your selfinesh apart." Belladonna sentenced. "And even less without getting nothing in return."

"I know I risked everything. But we also obtained the right to be on the land." He reminded her. "I knew that I would see you again someday. And here we are."

Belladonna didn't know what to say so she just leaned her chin on his shoulder. He pampered her, stroking her soft black mane. Blake relaxed in his arms to the point where she achieved the level of relaxation needed before going home to sleep. Adam felt her body shutting down as she was more calmed than before. He held her before her legs could stop sustaining her weight. The cat faunus reacted and let go of the pirate. She was too tired to think about everything he told her. She figured that it was best to let go of him and sleep. Tomorrow she would think about it and maybe at night return to the beach even knowing the high possibilities she has to encounter Taurus again.

"I should go now." She sentenced, he freed her from his grip. Then she kneeled down to retrieve the towel and the book. The sight of the book reminded something to the pirate.

"Wait. I have something to give you." He pulled out a book from his pants pocket. Blake accepted it, being its cover familiar. Then opened it and saw all the marks she had done inside: each one for each day she had spent on the ship. It was that ancient poetry book kept on the cabin's shelves. "You made it yours."

Belladonna held both books and the towel. She faced the captain for the last time and turned around to return home. No good night wish nor farewell. However, the bull faunus remained on his feet, staring at her figure while she walked along the shore.

"If you think you own something let it go and if it doesn't return to you, it was never yours." He whispered to himself.

And as if he had conjured a spell, the cat faunus steps started slowing down until they stopped. She waited a few seconds and then turned around. Her glance met Adam's once more and as if she had been enchanted, made her way back to him, returning through the same path of her footsteps. He walked towards her as well, containing his joy while seeing how she couldn't leave him behind.

His arms embraced her petite body as Blake asked herself: why do I feel the need to come back to him?

"I'm sorry for testing you but I had to know for certain if I had achieved to conquer your heart." Taurus whispered to the ears on top of her head.

Belladonna locked her glance with his and examined his ice cold iris. He was telling the truth, she could tell. But was that hope a selfish one or he had that faith because he also felt something? Yes, maybe she was stupid for still wishing to be in the captain's arms. Maybe she was silly for still showing her feelings after being fooled and hurt. But that wasn't about her anymore. The pirate had confirmed his suspects about her, but she still didn't know what thoughts were crossing his mind. It wasn't fair.

"What about you, then?" The cat faunus dared to ask. "What do you want?" She asked again, without specifying much.

"You." He replied as if that was an obvious fact. Maybe it was.

Belladonna smiled in an innocent way that fooled Taurus until she spoke: "You won't have me tonight." She promised, knowing what happens if a male has his way with a female too soon. She wouldn't fall for that again. He would need to work his way to her if she wanted her to spend the night with him.

"I'm interested in spending much more than my nights with you." He told to her cat ears. "But I'll be lying if I told you that I don't mind being lonely tonight."

"What will you do then?" Blake asked once more, this time intrigued by his intentions.

"What pirates always do." He sentenced with a mischievous smile. "Steal what they like."

"Adam, no." She warned him, being it difficult for her to sound serious while holding off a laugh.

The bull faunus lifted little Belladonna bridal style, holding her petite body tight. And despite everything, she tangled her arms around the back of his neck.

"Yes, my darling."

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:** First of all, excuse me for my two week-delay, I'm still getting used to the university routine and I have a lot of work to do but luckily soon I'll have a regular schedule to read and write.

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** Option #1 posted! Take your time to read it because it's a dense fanfic with very intense emotions. I also use grammarly for small details such as typos and another small things. I'd would say it's a lot of practice, at first I needed to search a lot of words in Google translate because I always speak in Catalan or Spanish but now my mentality is more "American" as I'm used to write in English and speak and communicate with my mother tongue languages. You're welcome1 Take care out there.

 **Kattes Moon:** In theory I upload every weekend, or so I try. This year I've started university and it's taking me a while to get used to the daily travel and the studies but soon I have the hope that I will recover the shcedule to upload the drabbles. Have patience, please. Thank you for reading me!

 **Princess-Sera:** Option #1 posted! Thank you for the comprehension, I'm much better now. I had luck and the auditions for my university's choir were still open after I recovered so I could enter the choir. I can't afford to fall ill because there is a lot of work to do but if I do... Writing Tauradonna will be the first thing I'll do while resting in bed for sure.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Option #1 posted! I had the feeling that you'd enjoy this one particullary because it's pretty intense. I hope I can read your thoughts soon about it. Greetings.

Frozenheart7


	41. Partnership sacrifices (Part I)

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Partnership sacrifices [Part I]

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** A story from the beggining starting with Blake Belladonna's arrival at the Vale Branch of the White Fang, willing to continue her family's fight for equality after they gave up. There she'll be chosen as the leader's pupil, starting a tormentous relationship that will evolve into something darker as time goes by. Will she be able to escape from the toxicity's chains before it's too late or will she stay by his side until he consumes her too?

A/N: New poll at the end of the chapter! Also, the 4th number of the DC x RWBY comics is out and it contains Blake's backstory with Adam. If anybody wants to read it for free all you have to do is go to this link: readcomiconline . to /Comic/RWBY/Issue-4?id=161908 (without spaces). Enjoy the tauradonna content! I'll make sure to work something following the canon shown in the comic, remember that eveyrhting there is canon, not fanmade.

* * *

Blake had never been so nervous in her life. Those moments of silence kept being longer and longer as the high rank members stood before the new pupils. The most experienced members of the branch had the right to choose an apprentice and Blake, being the novice in the Vale branch, needed to have a mentor assigned at least for the first year before going to missions. Almost ten more pupils were standing beside her, standing firm before the amateur members that would teach them. Blake was wondering: who would chose her?

First there were two creepy twins, fox faunus, that would choose two of the novices. Next there was the lieutenant of the vranch, who was holding his weapon close, something intimidating: a chainsaw. Blake swallowed saliva and continued glancing at the possible mentors. There was a very mysterious woman with spiderwebs tangled on her skin, possibly having something to do with her faunus traits. Also, a very tall deer faunus with glasses over his White Fang mask seemed to be staring at Ilia all the time, Blake guessed she would be the chosen by him.

The cat faunus suddenly felt the most intense sensation since he arrived at Vale. It was his glance from behind the mask. Blake had heard all kind of stories about him, the perfect leader and at the same time the strongest warrior, somebody brilliant and passionate for the faunus cause. A pure fiery spirit that would fight to get justice for the faunus… Adam Taurus was all of those things but also a very strict coach with certain temper and without limits. Somebody dangerous and disciplinate at the same time, intelligent war, a very promising combination.

"The Belladonna girl." The leader sentenced, being the first one to choose as he had the maximum power of the branch. "Come here."

Blake's legs froze as he called her again. She couldn't believe it, she had been chosen by the famous Adam Taurus, the leader of their branch… So much idealization of the lionized leader made Blake forget she was being watched by all the eyes in the room. She made a few steps forward to approach her now mentor as she got used to the idea.

Blake had never been the one to catch the spotlight, she was shy and insecure but despite that the leader of the brotherhood had chosen her, Adam, the most noble fighter in the White Fang but also the most feared.

She faced him for a few seconds of awkward silence. Everybody was staring at them now, the pupils pitying the poor luck that Blake had and the other mentors examining Taurus' choice. They knew that if Blake was the chosen one was because Adam considered the pupil had potential, but this time it had been different. Blake suspected Adam's choice had been based on her family, being a Belladonna gave her some popularity in the White Fang. But it wasn't that the reason why he had chosen her neither…

Taurus broke the contact of their glances and turned around just to leave the room. Belladonna stared behind them as the others still had to be chosen. Adam didn't seem to care and he motioned for the dubious Belladonna to follow him through the corridors. She quickly grabbed her luggage that had been left behind her. The last sight when Blake joined Adam was Ilia whispering something: Good Luck. Of course that would be needed.

They remained silent as they walked. The Vale brotherhood headquarter was big and maybe that impression was because Blake was knew and just wanted to each their destination… whatever destination it was. Finally, mentor and pupil arrived at the elevator. With a rough push Adam activated the boton and the doors got open for them to come in. Belladonna felt her fingers tremble and held her hands steady as she joined her new mentor inside.

Belladonna didn't dare to stare up at him. However, when the doors got closed the ambience became even more awkward between them. The cat faunus felt the necessity to say something but before doing so she thought each of her words carefully.

"Where are we going, sir?" She finally spoke out.

The word 'sir' coming out of her mouth echoed multiple times inside Adam's head. At that moment his theory was confirmed and he was even more sure than his decision had been correct. He had chosen the most loyal of them all, the one who would dare to risk her own life for somebody like him, the pupil that more likely would do everything to please him and would obey his orders.

Adam was the leader of the Vale brotherhood but he always ached for more power, a kind of power more personal: over people. He desired a loyal servant, a perfect partner to work side by side and cover each other's back. He had supposed Belladonna was the best option for several reasons. The first one was because the other pupils had suffered racism and discrimination and probably knew better than bond with somebody inside the White Fang. The second was because Blake had lived in Menagerie all her life and now that she had left home she would probably search for comfort in her brothers and sisters of the branch and as she was shy the first person she would have more access would be him. That would keep her tied by his side from time to time.

"I'm going to show you your quarters." Taurus finally replied, his deep voice sending chills down her spine.

When the doors of the elevator got open Blake sighed in pure relief. He didn't wait for he, he was independent and strong, surely he didn't need a pupil but he did it for the cause. Or that was what Blake thought. The cat faunus wasn't terrified because she had been chosen by Adam unlike the other pupils, she was looking forward to work with somebody so passionate and strong in the White Fang, the same leader of the branch that would command their operations. Belladonna admired deeply Adam's strength and determination.

Taurus stopped at the end of the hallway of the highest floor of the building, between two doors. His eyes were on her now. Blake left her luggage on the floor as it was heavy.

"That room is mine." He said, pointing at the one at the end of the hallway. "This room is yours." He clarified, pointing at the one on the wall beside his room. He searched for something in his jacket's pocket, it was her dorm's key.

He opened the door for her and she entered to discover her new quarters. The window let in a lot of sunlight even with the curtains closed and Blake's eyes had to get used to that amount of natural light. Adam followed her, closing the door behind him and looked at how his pupil examined the room. The luggage was left at the feet of the individual bed at the center of the room. She touched the empty shelves and smiled at the thought of all her books placed there. Then she opened the closet and examined its almost empty drawers. Belladonna took out a black one-piece suit from inside and showed it to Adam, demanding an explanation. Then she found a white jacket with the red new White Fang logo on the back.

"It's the mandatory uniform for meetings and collective events." He explained. "For the training and daily routine you can use sportive clothes."

Belladonna nodded and left everything well hung in the closet. Later she would put all of her clothes tidy and classified by colors. She moved next to the bed and an unfamiliar object on the bedside table caught her attention. She grabbed the plastic mask and stared at it, wondering how it would look on her. Her eyes traveled back to Adam, who was leaned against the wall and observing her. He was wearing his mask fully decorated right now. But did she have to…?

"Only for missions and maybe rallys." Taurus answered, almost reading her mind.

"Why are you wearing yours now?" Blake asked back, seeing that Adam was willing to talk and guide her.

The question seemed to freeze Adam's blood. He stood firm and his hands unconsciously traveled to the edge of his mask. Slowly, he retired the plastic barrier and Blake could meet Taurus' true face. It wasn't like what she wondered: his eyes were blue and he had a scar with three initials on one of them: SDC. The rumors about him did say that Adam had suffered a lot in the past and that as a revenge he killed all the responsibles for his pain. Blake could tell half of the rumor was true, but she wasn't sure if the last part could be.

"I'm sorry." Blake immediately apologized, for his scar and past and for her intromision.

"Don't be." He said, smirking and putting back his mask. "They will pay for it if they didn't have yet."

Belladonna's heart was shaking intensively. It was hard for her to break their glances and return to her new room's examination. As she turned to her right the sight of a grey door caught Blake's attention. There was a lock from her side to block the entrance to her dorm, that meant her room was connected to someone else's. The curious cat faunus grabbed the doorknob and opened the door to find what was on the other side. The answer was a bigger room with swords hung on the wall and a large desk with maps and documents all over it.

"My room." He clarified again, now standing behind her. Blake observed his side of the door had a lock too, it was fair for their privacity. "Pupils and mentors rooms are always connected. It's useful for when they become partners."

Partner. That word echoed in Blake's head. That would mean that she was equal to him. Taurus knew that the chosen pupil would become his partner in the battlefield soon. That was an honour coming from somebody so powerful and popular like him.

"Why did you choose me, sir?" Finally Belladonna dared to ask.

Adam internally smirked. Stupid little girl. He would tell her what she wanted to hear, a partial truth.

"Because I want somebody who I can trust and that will stand beside me." He said in a way that would make her understand that he counted on her.

Belladonna felt she was under pressure. His faith was on her and she won't put him down. Blake couldn't deceive him and she would make her best to please him. Adam would get what he wanted.

* * *

Blake would do everything and even more for him. Adam knew it.

She fell to the floor, her ponytail broken and her hair wildly falling to both sides of her face as her aure flickered, a sign that it was about to be broken. A lock of her raven hair was on the ground along with her sword. The lieutenant stood on his feet, victoriously contemplating the defeated Belladonna during their brief combat.

"That's all you've got, daddy's little girl?" The lieutenant mocked, turning off his chainsaw, finishing the battle.

But the cat faunus wasn't done yet. She rested on her knees, recovering some breath before looking up and staring fiercely at the lieutenant. She showed him her teeth as a sign of defiance as he smiled and turned on his chainsaw again. The battle wasn't over.

Belladonna glanced at her mentor by the corner of her eye. He was leaning his back against the wall, smiling satisfied while seeing that his pupil had spyrit. That gave Blake the small push she needed to get up and continue the duel with the lieutenant, who seemed to especially hate her for being a Belladonna. He was also one of those violent radicals that even dared to be against her father, the founder of the White Fang. She would keep fighting for her family and for Adam. She couldn't let the lieutenant win.

"This isn't over yet." She sentenced, grabbing her simple sword and holding it firmly.

The lieutenant laughed and ran towards her, his heavy chainsaw up in the air. That was one of the cat faunus' disadvantages, she wasn't strong enough to clash for so long their weapons and that caused her legs to tremble and as a consequence fall. She couldn't let the lieutenant catch her but she couldn't abuse her semblance as Taurus always told her to not run from the close encounters. Despite that, in that battle her semblance was the best option as she was quick and the weight of the chainsaw slowed down the lieutenant.

Blake faded before the lieutenant's eyes when he was about to strike at her with the piercing edges of the chainsaw. She appeared behind him and jumped in his back, putting the sword against his neck, holding tightly his skin, her nails scratching his arms. The lieutenant grunted and stepped back rapidly until he managed to impact against a wall, squeezing Blake between his body and the wall.

The cat faunus had to let go of his body. She thought that with having him threatened with the sword on his neck the battle would finish. Now she was the one trapped between the wall and her enemy's weapon. The lieutenant swang the chainsaw against Blake. She tried to use her semblance but having so little space to move she could only move a few centimeters aside.

"Agh!" She yelled as the metal cut her right shoulder skin, her aura now completely shattered.

She made a last push with her semblance before the aura could vanish completely and managed to get out of the dead end she was trapped in. Blake, lying in the floor, didn't give up and lifted with sword. However, Belladonna watched her own blood stain her hands and a dizzy sensation invaded her senses, losing the focus on the fight. The lieutenant lifted his chainsaw and was ready to make a last strike on Belladonna. It was too late when Blake realized she was trapped and would have to feel the damage. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain but it never came.

"Do you think this is a brotherly act?" Adam's voice growled, very close to Blake.

The cat faunus opened her eyes and saw her mentor standing before the lieutenant, blocking his weapon with Wilt and Blush. Adam's strength and semblance made the lieutenant fly backward, his back hitting the wall.

"I was pushing her limits just as you asked." The lieutenant complained, almost discovering Taurus' test on her. He had told the lieutenant to be fierce and don't have compassion to see how far Belladonna would go to not deceive Adam. But now he would have the hero role and punish a too violent member of the White Fang.

"She was out of aura and you didn't have mercy." Taurus scolded him. "She's your own kind, not a human. Do you think it's necessary inflicting her so much pain?!"

Belladonna heard Adam's words as an echo, distant as she was getting dizzy due to the blood coming out of her wound. She felt someone kneeling by her side as Taurus kept scolding the lieutenant. Blake recognized Ilia's red long ponytail and searched for a grip to try and stabilize herself.

"Blake!" Amitola shook her, terrorized seeing the deep cut on her shoulder. "Can you hear me?"

The cat faunus was aware of the other members watching them, all around the ring they used for duels. She didn't want to be vulnerable and impress Adam with her resistance. Blake managed to nod with her head and with Ilia's help stand on her own feet.

"Bring her to the infirmary." Taurus ordered to Ilia, who nodded and helped the cat faunus climb down the stairs of the ring.

Belladonna wasn't even conscious during their trip to the infirmary. Ilia was holding almost all of her weight as Blake tried to walk straight through the hallways. Finally, after some struggle, they arrived to the elevator.

"It's the blood… that makes me dizzy." The cat faunus said, leaning towards the mirror as the descended to the last floor where the infirmary was.

Ilia had to embrace her body and almost drag her to the infirmary. Luckily, it wasn't far away from the elevator and there were no more stairs. One of the faunus specialized in medicine brought Blake to a chair so she could sit and stay conscious. Ilia kneeled beside her, holding her hand tightly as the doctor checked the wound. She was a deer faunus and contributed to the faunus cause by helping in what she was best: medicine and cures.

"It's deep. We have to seize it." The doctor sentenced. "Clean the wound." He said before leaving to find the necessary indumentary.

Amitola grabbed a chair and sat beside Blake to support her. She grabbed a piece of cotton and with some alcohol cleaned the surroundings of the wound, wiping out the blood coming out of the cut. Blake hissed in pain as Ilia softly patted the open wound, disinfecting it just for precaution.

"Hold her straight." The deer faunus said, with the needle and thread ready to stitch her.

Blake complained and shook her head but between the two they managed to immobilize her. Ilia held her head aside so the doctor could work on the wound without any distraction. The cat faunus was weak so it wasn't very challenging to keep her still.

"Are you going to do it without anesthesia?!" Amitola asked, seeing how she was about to pierce the cat faunus' skin without any kind of preparation.

The deer faunus asked Ilia to be quiet to not alarm Blake, who was half-conscious due to the dizziness and loss of blood. She hissed loud when the needle pierced her shoulder and Amitola hold her tight so she wouldn't move. It would be a long torture they both had to bear…

Almost an hour after, the deer faunus sedated the cat faunus and left her resting in one of the beds of the infirmary. She was fixed and after the stitched when her aura was fueled it would do the rest. It wouldn't be a long recoverance but the wound had been serious despite everything. Ilia didn't leave Blake's side despite her being asleep. Finally she was resting and the painkillers were doing effect, she had suffered a lot during the stitching. She had risked a lot by keeping fighting despite having her aura level low, Adam also knew it and didn't say anything and the lieutenant should have stopped too… The lieutenant said Adam wanted to push Blake to her limit, but for which purpose? Amitola couldn't put the pieces together nut she feared the mysterious leader of the branch was plotting something about Blake. Ilia doubted it was just revilar training like the others trainees had to do. Trainees like her.

"Gods! I forgot I had to fight an hour ago!" Amitola exclaimed, suddenly remembering it was her turn to confront an amateur member after Blake's combat.

Ilia received a hush coming from the deer doctor who asked her to remain silent. She was about to sprint towards the elevator but before that she approached her asleep friend.

"Blake, I'm leaving." Amitola whispered to her, touching her face so she would pay attention to her. The cat faunus opened her eyes wearily. "Do you need something?"

Blake recovered her senses and nodded slowly. She made Ilia come closer and asked her what she needed:

"Call Adam…" She muttered and turned to the other side to continue resting.

Amitola still knew there was something fishy with their leader, besides, he could have come to check on her pupil, it was his responsibility too. However, Ilia would go and search for Taurus since her best friend had asked her to do it and she wouldn't fail Blake.

Belladonna was left alone in the infirmary as the deer faunus, in charge of the medical unit, closed the light and left her resting at least until she had a minimum level of aura recovered. The door, instead, was left open so Blake could leave whenever she felt better and was capable of walking back to her room on her own. Eventually, the cat faunus finished waking up but at least the painkillers erased the pain. She saw the cut lock of her hair, it could be camouflaged under her mane, but the scar on her shoulder… Maybe it would be there permanently like the brand on Adam's face.

"Adam…" Blake sighed, staring at the undefined darkness as she waited for him to come and ask her how she was feeling.

Maybe he was angry because she had lost the fight. But he went up in the ring and stopped the next hit… What would have happened if the lieutenant's chainsaw had touched her again? Nevertheless, it was her mentor's duty to stop the fight when things got bad or when her aura flickered, meaning that with the next hit it would break. As the cut was so deep her aura couldn't resist and now she had stitches and a scar would be marking her skin. Also, what did the lieutenant mean with 'pushing her limits'? Belladonna shook her head, wiping away the thought. Adam was strict and he believed in teaching with a firm hand so it had been his method to make her learn. But none of the others trainees had been hurt like her, not even a hair was touched from them. Why Belladonna was hurt if that was just an initial test?

"Belladonna." A male voice called from behind the door. The cat faunus couldn't see quite well in the dark but with her hearing heard how the door of the infirmary was opened. The heavy steps came closer… He had come to visit her.

A small salt lamp on one of the tables was lit by Adam, who before disturbing anyone else made sure they were alone. Then she walked towards the bed his pupil was laying on. She was trembling: was it because the anxiety or just because she only had her upper body half-covered?

"Let me see the stitches." He asked her, not even caring at first of her mental well-being after such defeat in front of the whole headquarter.

Taurus lifted his hand with the intention to retire the bandages on her shoulder but Blake slightly moved away and rejected the touch.

"It still hurts." She lied, she didn't want him to see her wound, a sign of her defeat in the battlefield.

"I'll be careful." He convinced her and slowly undid the bandages.

Belladonna covered her breasts before Taurus could retire completely the bandages. She closed her eyes and waited for him to finish examining the cut. The bull faunus smiled, pleased, it was a large wound and several stitches had been needed to help it heal. She was really dedicated with fighting and trying to show off before him. He had done the right choice. No other trainee would have kept fighting despite their opponent's mockes. She had done it just for him, unconditionally, hurting herself just to not put him down.

When Adam had enough blood seen, he wrapped back the bandages, carefully passing them around her arm and shoulder. The cat faunus remained quiet, her ears folded down in shame. She had been weak and had lost, she was disappointed with herself.

"You have all the rights to be angry with me." Belladonna sentenced, crossing her arms over her chest once he finished. "I failed miserably."

Adam hid an evil grin and caressed his pupil's cat ears. The fur was soft and so was her hair. His fingers traveled down to the lock of hair that had been cut by the lieutenant. The hair would grow again but the scar would be a sign of her loyalty to him. Her words proved that she was determined to not fail him. His caresses made her tremble along with the cold of the infirmary so Taurus took off his emblem jacket and carefully covered Blake with it to give her some warmth.

"You were brave." He said, she had been brave and a foolish little girl. "There's no need to be ashamed of a defeat if you put effort."

"That is what losers are always told." Blake complained and held herself tighter to his jacket.

"Grow strong from your defeat. It's the first step to become greater." Adam retired his mask and Belladonna stared at his branded eye. "Just look at me. Do you think I'm greater now than when I was punished at the dust mines?"

Taurus question changed her mind. He must have felt vulnerable, weak and useless at some point of his life. She didn't dare to ask more about his slavery at the Schnee Dust Company. She supposed it had happened when he was just a child because children could fit into tiny tunnels that led to dust. Maybe when they grew closer she would dare and ask more about it. He seemed to have accepted that part of him since he had revealed twice his face to her and they didn't know each other so well. But for some others his face was still a mystery.

"You are right, sir." The cat faunus lifted her cat ears and smiled comforted.

"Don't call me 'sir'. Just Taurus for now." He ordered.

Adam offered his gloved hand to his pupil, pretending to be friendly and nice to her after such sacrifice she made. Blake stared at him, her face worried.

"I don't think I can walk yet." She said, the effects of the sedatives were still on her system and her senses were asleep.

So, Taurus gently slipped his hands under her body. Blake anticipated his movements and held tightly onto his neck as he lifted her.

"You'll be more comfortable in your room." He sentenced and left the infirmary empty behind them.

* * *

The pale scar on her shoulder was barely visible now. It was just a far memory from her first days as trainee of the White Fang. In just a few more weeks training Taurus had promised Blake she could start going to easy missions with him despite the protocol saying the novice members had to have a one year solid formation before missions.

Adam had left to a mission with almost half of the branch, they would hijack a ship that brought dust to Vale's shores. Each time he left Belladonna couldn't help but be worried. They were meant to be partners and take care of each other. Her mentor was cold but she knew deep down he cared about her and after these months he had grown fond for her. Blake could say the same but she still was too young to be conscious about her own feelings.

When she was alone she used to spend time with Ilia and maybe sneak to the city and camouflage as humans, Blake hiding her cat ears under a bow and Ilia avoiding to change colors. Adam didn't like that strategy, he said that wasn't what a proud faunus would do but all Ilia and Blake wanted was to go shopping like regular teenage girls. Nevertheless, this time after hanging out with Ilia all day, Adam still hadn't returned. It was strange, he was always punctual, nothing went wrong.

Belladonna's sharpest instincts thought something may have went wrong. What if they managed to capture the whitefangers Taurus led? No way, they were too many and the robots that protected the cargo were easy to beat. But if they had been captured beforehand or everything was a trap maybe that could have caused trouble…

The cat faunus kept thinking in the loneliness of hee room for some hours. She couldn't even focus on her reading as she would always do to relax.

"Blake?" Suddenly Ilia knocked on the door loudly.

Blake took off her headphones, that left free her cat ears, and opened the door of her room to Ilia, welcoming her to come inside and spend some together maybe to watch a movie or just chat. But Amitola was there for something important and not just to kill some time.

"Is something wrong?" The cat faunus asked, seeing that Ilia hadn't entered yet.

"The airship is back." Ilia said and Blake immediately ran towards the window to see a lot of people around the airship… a bad sign. "I don't want to scare you but I think something happened."

Blake quickly changed to her boots and grabbed her best friend's hand to go downstairs to the parking where they left the airships. Other faunus like them were also alarmed by the rumours of the branch leader being gravely hurt. The cat faunus dragged Ilia behind her as she pushed the people aside to arrive at the center of the parking where the main ship was standing. There were some faunus still aboard and everybody was commenting that Taurus still hadn't appeared from inside the airship. The other members returned with the doctor and a first aids box.

"Adam's not the one to cause a show just for a scratch." One faunus commented.

"It must be something critical if he needs medical attention." Another said.

That made Blake's mental alarms ring. She stared at Ilia and she nodded, reading her thoughts, agreeing on that she should go inside the ship and check what was happening. The cat faunus, helping herself with her semblance, sneaked between the small spaces the people left among them until she arrived at the door of the ship. Before she could enter, the lieutenant faced her, his chainsaw turned off…Still.

"Our leader needs privacy." The lieutenant said. "So get out of here."

"Our leader needs help." Belladonna objected. "So let me in." She put an emphasis on each word.

The lieutenant put his chainsaw aside and let the little Belladonna enter the airship to aid her mentor. There were a few subordinates surrounding a chair, she supposed he was there as all the attention was focused on that spot.

"Bring me to my quarters." Blake heard him command, the subordinates not even listening to him.

The cat faunus used her semblance to sneak between the faunus and position herself in the first line, pushing a tall wolf faunus that stood on her way. Her eyes met the pitiful sight of Adam laying down, panting heavy and sweaty skin. He had his eyes closed and teeth clenched, a sign that he was in pain. Belladonna tried to see where he was hurt but didn't manage to find blood nor wounds.

"Sir Taurus." Blake forced herself to call him so respectful in front of the others, kneeling beside the chair he was leaned on. "Tell me what you need and I'll do it."

Adam opened his eyes and met the comforting gold of his obedient pupil. The tension disappeared slowly from his body and seeing that Blake was there, the other faunus made a few steps back to leave them space.

"Take me to my dorm." Taurus ordered at Blake and then stared at the others. "But before tell the others outside the plane to leave, there's nothing to see here."

The bull faunus' orders were firm but his voice was rusty, a sign that something was wrong. He didn't want to show it in front of the others but Blake had hope that he would reveal it to her once they reached their dorms. The subordinates went outside with the lieutenant and tried to vanish the people expectating for their leader. Meanwhile Blake and Adam were left alone.

"Did your aura break?" Belladonna asked the obvious but she needed to start from a simple point.

"I got a few hits." He said and unconsciously held his thorax with both of his arms. That gave Blake a hint of where the damage was located. "Nothing serious, I want to rest."

The cat faunus nodded and held out her hand to Taurus, who using her help managed to get up. Once he was on his feet, he didn't ask for extra support and he pretended as if he could walk perfectly, hurting himself in the progress. Belladonna noticed and pitied that he had to suffer because of his necessity to look invencible, unbreakable, victorious…

When they got out of the plane the crowd had disappeared but a few faunus had managed to stay and see their leader's state. He faked ignorance and walked as if nothing happened towards the elevator, Blake following him at all moments. She pressed the button for him and the doors got open for them both to come inside. The cat faunus pressed the number of the floor their rooms were in and the doors got closed, leaving them isolated from the rest of faunus. Adam immediately sighed and leaned towards the metallic wall of the elevator, he was exhausted and faking he was alright had a number on him. Blake didn't dare to touch him as she didn't know where was the source of the pain.

"You are going to let me have a look on that, okay?" She asked and Adam muttered a small 'yes' as a reply.

The elevator reached their floor and now that nobody was looking at them, Taurus allowed himself to rest an arm on Blake's shoulders to have a source of extra support while walking. She helped him advance slowly, with regular steps and secure distances. He was leaning on her, she could feel his weight on her shoulders. That was a lot of trust that was being put onto her. Taurus hadn't wanted nobody to look at him that way but there she was Blake accompanying him to his room.

"The key?" Belladonna asked, stopping in front of his quarters.

The bull faunus opened the door for them and Belladonna conducted him towards the bed and ordered him to sit at the bottom. She returned back to close the door but when she came to check Adam he was already laying down on the couch, tightening his thorax and breathing with difficulty.

Blake approached him silently and sat on one side of the bed, observing his expression: he was in great pain and the source was under his jacket. She unconsciously swallowed saliva.

"Can you let me see…?" She asked, uncertain.

Taurus just took his arm off the way so she could unbutton his jacket. The cat faunus bent down and touched the cold buttons that hid his skin. She struggled to unbutton the jacket and even Adam had to help her in the process. She had never felt so stupid before and the mix of nervousness and worry didn't let her think straight. Finally, she could take off his jacket but under it he had a sleeveless red shirt. Blake lifted the cloth carefully and revealed the wounds in his skin.

"Gods…" She muttered, seeing how much pain he had to bear.

Adam had long cuts all over his chest and abs. They weren't bleeding, the same skin that was cut was also burned and that caused the pain Adam was feeling.

"Do you see any purple liquid?" Taurus suddenly asked her, startling her.

Blake didn't dare to touch the wounds but there was no purple anywhere, not even bruises, just cuts and burns.

"No, why should there be?" The cat faunus asked.

"Sometimes they put venom into their blades." Blake guessed the rest. "But this time I might have been burned by laser."

Blake had heard about these denfe systems that the robots fabricated in Atlas had. Adam had told her before that the androida had once been a piece of garbage easy to dispose off but now the security of every place faunus could enter was improved. This was the case of the robots that sometimes had guns or blades with laser shields surrounding them so they managed to cut the skin and at the same time burn it so there was just pain and not bleeding, maybe later on scars.

"What can I do to make you feel better?" Blake asked sweetly. "Or do you want me to call the doctor privately?"

"Go to the infirmary. They will know what to give you." He ordered and Blake without hesitation nodded and quickly left the room so he could stop feeling the pain as soon as possible.

Adam sighed when the door got closed and Blake left. He tried to take off his jacket as the cold alleviated the pain, but it was impossible, alone he was only achieving to hurt himself even more. He remembered the brand on his eye hurting even more as he took his mask off. Only a sleeve of the jacket came out, he would tell Blake to pull the other so the jacket wouldn't be on her way. What he did manage to do was retire the sleeveless red shirt and with a slow movement throw it away. He did need Belladonna as much as he wouldn't want to admit. He thought she was silly for following a leader instead of believing in herself and for blushing intensively while seeing a part of him naked. However, she was better than he could have ever guessed. Her fighting skills had improved a lot lately and her determination wasn't like her father's: Blake was willing to fight for what she wanted.

She wasn't a bad partner at all. She never used the lock of her side of the door that connected their rooms. That meant she was always available for him. She rarely came to his room and ask for something, only during her first days, but she wasn't annoying and always respectfully treated him. Adam remembered one time he took the liberty to cross that common door. He found her on her pajamas, reading a book with a candle lit and incense burning. The White Fang dorms were cold and after so many years Taurus hadn't achieved to make his more warm, but Blake did. She welcomed him and they spent the afternoon talking and he found she wasn't such an annoying little girl who he would use to feel more powerful, but maybe an inferior partner.

When Belladonna returned to the room with the proper treatment, she found Adam entering a light sleep, remembering things like that afternoon on her room. Blake didn't want to disturb him so she silently left the medicines on the bedside table and retired the jacket that was halfway off his body. His muscular upper body left the cat faunus breathless. His muscular arms, strong abs and defined chest were like the ones in a god sculpture. The years of training were reflected in his body, it made the cat faunus' face burn.

"Burn incense." He suddenly muttered, startling her once more.

Belladonna didn't ask herself why would he demand such thing and obeyed, quickly crossing the door to her room and grabbing a pair of rose incense cones she burnt when the occasion was special or she wanted to relax. He must have also smelled them from the other side of the door and he may have never dared to ask her to give him some too. She lit the first cone and let it rest in the other bedside table that was empty so he could feel the true scent of the rose close and relax as she did whenever she lit one.

"I'm going to heal you now." She whispered just because she didn't want to scare him by touching his chest suddenly.

Belladonna had all the things the doctor told her she would need to heal such wounds when the aura was still broken. She had to start covering his thorax with a towel and then apply some ice that was kept inside a plastic bag. This way the coldness of the frozen water would he comforting and not too harassing to his skin. Taurus sighed in relief when felt the coldness over one of the cuts, it helped a lot to endure the pain. He guessed the ice was also used to make his skin less sensitive and alleviate the burn. Little Belladonna kept nursing him, moving the ice to the other parts of the chest when the ice had been on the same area for more than a minute. Once all the process was done over all the burns, Blake retired the towel and applied a cream the doctor had given her. Her fingers carefully extended it in circles over the cuts as Taurus remained calm, his eyes open. It felt nice to help somebody, Blake felt a better person for doing so and was elated to give something back to his partner who spent hours teaching all he knew in fighting and preparing her to be a faunus warrior.

Once the cream was applied, Belladonna saw how Adam's aura was recovering, red flashes covering his skin as the medicine and his same system tried to cure himself. It was a painful process when the aura had to heal something and not just protect from the hits. Taurus started sweating as the wounds were internally cured by the aura and externally by the cream. The cat faunus moved to the bathroom and filled a small bucket with water to bring it beside the bed. She used the same towel that had been in his chest and dripped it with water to soothe Taurus during his recovering process. He had a temperature, something similar like a fever that used to happen when somebody was severely hurt and the aura had to heal a lot.

She drowned the towel in the water and let out the excess so there was the exact amount to refresh Adam's skin. She gently patted his forehead with the fresh water, cleaning the thin layer of sweat. Then she moved to his mouth and lips, with small touches cleaning also the dust from the mission accumulated on his cheeks. Once she was done, Blake lifted her hand and hesitated before cleaning a crucial spot on his face: his eyes. She started cleaning the one that wasn't branded to see if he would complain but Taurus kept still and silent, he could guess his other eye would go next. Blake slowly moved the towel to his other eye and started around the brand. Adam tightened her wrist, the hand she wasn't using that rested on the couch, as a warning. Belladonna continued but even more gently than before and softly patted the branded letters on his eye.

"How are you feeling?" She soothingly asked, wiping the dirt off his eye.

His hand relaxed and the grip loosened on Blake's wrist. He trusted her and that caused her a smile. She wondered if he had ever let someone touch his scar like that, probably not.

"Careful…" He muttered when the towel was in the center of his closed eye.

Belladonna had enjoyed too much the exclusivity to touch him. She returned to his sweaty forehead to continue soothing him. Taurus flinched and his hand moved to his stomach, he would probably have to spend all night healing. His red aura sparkled, still broken, at least the wounds were healing. When the healing process finished, for then his aura would be restored and then the pain would end.

Blake exchanged the towel for her own hand and caressed the locks of reddish hair that were out of its place. Adam used to have his hair styled perfectly and now after the mission and feeling unwell he was uncombed. She used her fingers to comb the hair up as he used to and also lifted the hair that was sweaty and stuck to his forehead. When his hair was out of his face, Blake continued caressing his forehead, extremely warm.

"Do you need something for the fever?" She asked sweetly.

"I don't know if I have…" He uncertainly answered.

The cat faunus saw the perfect opportunity to make a move. She caressed his forehead once more and bent down until her warm lips touched his hot skin. Her mother used to do so when she was ill and wanted to know if she had fever. Now Belladonna did the same with her partner.

"You do have fever, sir." Blake sentenced

"Nothing a good sleep can't solve." He replied, slightly accommodating his pillow to rest well.

"Then rest well." Blake faced the bedside table and searched for the the switch to turn off the lamp.

The darkness helped the two faunus get some restful sleep. Blake leaned her head on the wood and let the bed exclusively to Adam. She refused to leave to her room in case he needed something in the middle of the night. She would be there for him if something hurt or he needed to drink fresh water. She wouldn't leave his side…

Next morning, Adam was the first to wake up. He felt refreshed, like a new person. The heat had left his body and the temperature had lowered severely. He felt his forehead wet and his hand traveled up to find the source of the fresh water. There he found a small towel and Belladonna's hand holding it steady. Even still asleep, she had kept watching him and her hand hadn't moved from his burning forehead. She was deep asleep, it was normal after such long night and the intense cares. Taurus stared at his own body and the now healed wounds on his torso. Some of them would fade and others would remain there as scars. What he was sure was that thanks to his obedient pupil's help the situation hadn't been worse. It had been an intelligent move to choose her as pupil, indeed.

* * *

Taurus broke the rules, he was the leader of the brotherhood so it was nobody's business. He brought Blake to the missions so she could learn in the field. She hadn't completed her one year initial training but her mentor didn't care. He had seen first hand how loyal she was and was curious about seeing what she would be willing to do in missions for him. Her obedience was hiss biggest pleasure and seeing how she just followed him blindly made him forget that they were in an important mission, infiltrating dust mines.

Adam divided the group in couples and he kept Belladonna for himself, of course. They moved to one of the corners of the entrances of the mines just before the nightly turn started. They would wait for a signal and then they would surprise the superiors that commanded the faunus slaves. This way, luckily some would be freed but others would rather stay to have a home and a hot meal in exchange for twelve hours of daily work. Taurus knew how it was for children to be in the mines, they would have to sneak in small places adults couldn't and that made everything more dangerous. Also, the inhalation of gas in those small tunnels was a grave risk for the children's health. But the Schnee Dust Company didn't care for none of those things. They just wanted more money.

The cat faunus sadly observed the grey ambience of the dust mines. The faunus slaves were depressed and walled forward without any motivation, like robots, senseless. She felt a tremendous pity for them and her heart ached while thinking that her mentor used to be one of those slaves. A group of children, which nature would be running and laughing, silently went to push a cart inside the mines so they could collect the dust and put it in. They wouldn't leave the mine until the cart was filled with dust and the only reward would be a hot meal and a hard bed to sleep. Blake wondered how those slaves ended like that: had they been kidnaped? Was poverty so severe that they had to accept such dehumanizing labour?

Taurus felt the warm touch of Blake's hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw her expression: she felt pity for him, how stupid. Even though it pained him to explain his past to her, it served to make her attached to him and the faunus cause, his puppet.

"Do you need ammo?" She asked, after all she was the one carrying the backpack.

Adam nodded, of course he would need. As he loaded Wilt and Blush with the same duat produced in these mines, he smiled in satisfaction while thinking of executing the bosses that led the faunus slavery. But Belladonna wouldn't see that, she would ignore what happened because she would be busy with other things while he has free way to kill everybody that stood on his way. He would obtain revenge and return home victorious.

"You'll go inside the mines to help the prisoners exit." He commanded to Blake, she nodded. She was the most appropriate to do so, sneaky and discreet. Then the other team would detonate the dynamite deep down the mines and Adam would stay outside to kill the big fishes.

The bell that announced the start of the nightly turn rang. It was their signal, they had to come in. Taurus signaled Blake the entrance to the mine to alert the workers and told her to be aware of the radio so he could tell her to leave in time just before the detonation. Once Adam saw Belladonna entered the mines and the other group prepared the explosives, Taurus got his eyes on the small cabin where the commanders would be resting while the faunus slaves worked. The bull faunus camouflaged between the other workers, it was their advantage, the ease to come and go as they pleased because of their traits. Nobody had a list of the slaves, it was all ilegal, the bosses just inflicted the pain when someone disobeyed.

"Dynamite prepared. Waiting for your signal, boss." The team with the explosives sentenced.

Taurus hid behind the rocks that surrounded the superior's cabin and took out his radio.

"Belladonna, are you done?" He asked her, there were some interferences, sign that she was still inside the caves.

"Nobody is in the lower area." She replied and Taurus could see the crowd of faunus exiting the entrances of the mines, running after Blake's alert of the detonation. "I'm out."

Taurus identified Blake in the distance, leading a group of children behind some rocks to protect them from the incoming explosion. Adam knocked on the door of the cabin so the bosses would notice the common disobedience and the slaves exiting the mines.

As he expected, two bosses got out of the cabin, yelling at the slaves. They were distracted,it was their moment.

"Now!" Adam commanded and just one second after the earth trembled and dusty air came out of the mines. The explosion caused the mine to collapse and sink.

Taurus got up from his hideout and with a fast movement of his word, got a hold on one of the bosses and cut his head off. The other boss turned too slow, shocked because of the slaves rebellion, the mine explosion and the murder of his partner. It just took a swing of Wilt to end the other superior's life, freeing from that instance all the workers, but everybody was too busy escaping to notice Adam's violent crimes.

"What should we do now?" Blake's voice come out of the radio speaker.

Adam contemplated the corpses and the blood flowing out of them. Before he could command the next order, he hid the corpses behind the cabin so nobody could see the bloodshed. Maybe the bosses had been an obstacle but if Sienna found out, their murder wouldn't be justified.

"Meet me before the cabin." He said through the radio.

While waiting for Belladonna to return, Taurus observed the joy of the slaves while they reunited with the rest of their family. Now that they had earned freedom, those families could start a new life, far from the mines and the human racism. Menagerie was built specially for people like them, faunus who had been abused and wanted to live peacefully, not minding the rest of the kingdoms and not having to see anymore humans. Adam at first chose that, when Blake's father became chieftain and started several projects to make the island safer and better. He even worked in one of the projects, cleaning the population of Grimm near the desert. That was a hard job like working in the mines, but the hours of work were reduced and the salary was high which helped Adam train and grow strong. Then he started protecting Blake's father for events, working as a guard and part of the White Fang. That was when he met Sienna and she got her eye on him. A few months later he would became leader of the Vale brotherhood for his aspirations and ideologies. And destiny was so twisted that Blake also left Menagerie to join his branch, a Belladonna he had so close but never noticed anyway until now.

"Adam!" Belladonna yelled, running towards him. Before his mind could think that was a childish action, he saw her eyes opened in fear and how her hand tried to reach for him. There was danger behind him.

"No!" She yelled and pushed Taurus backward, making him fall to the floor. While stumbling the bull faunus heard a gunshot but the pain never came. It wasn't until later, when they both were covered laying on the floor that he smelled Blake's blood.

She had taken the gunshot for him.

"Belladonna!" Adam hit her face as she was shocked after the intense pain. The bullet was incrusted in the same shoulder she had the scar of that first fight. The leader quickly grabbed the radio to contact all of his subordinates.

"We have Belladonna down." The protocol said they wouldn't leave a brother or sister behind so they would now have to return to the airship. "Shoot if there's a threat. We're retiring."

With that last command given, Taurus tried to reanimate Blake, who had passed out because of the intense pain, the nervousness and stress. Now that she wouldn't be pushy and annoying him with whimpers and cries of pain, Adam hot on his knees and put Blake on his back to carry her back to the airship. They were now covered by the rocks but he would have to run the double to reach safety. Taurus' best guess was that the security system had installed a small gun that was activated when any suspicious person entered the area or when a it was activated. Faunus slaves had left and the bosses would be too busy crying for their lost money. Adam would have to dodge the bullets but having to carry Blake was a disadvantage and would slow him down. She couldn't take another bullet, the wound wasn't grave but it could be if they didn't hurry back to the headquarter.

Taurus grabbed the radio once more: "The security system has small torrets. Is there any chance a team can deactivate the energy source?"

"On it, boss." One of his subordinates replied, already guessing by their scrolls that Belladonna and him were trapped in the middle of the field.

Any other leader would feel guilty for their pupil taking the shot for them in a intent of protection and sign of loyalty. It wasn't Adam's case. Yes, he had broken the rules and brought Blake to a mission she wasn't supposed to be and as a result she ended hurt because of her poor experience. Q good fighter would have destroyed the torret instead of running and pushing the person out of the bullet's way. Blake wasn't a good fighter yet and she had a lot to learn, with more experience she would have acted properly. The mark of that shot would be a reminder of that lesson: feelings shouldn't get in the way during missions. Intelligence was their primary weapon. Adam knew she reacted the way she did because she wanted to be useful and impress him, show that she deserved to be his partner and that he hadn't chosen wrong. Adam was indeed satisfied, seeing to which limit her disposition for him had reached.

"The security system has fallen. It's all clear." The radio buzzed.

Taurus made sure the red light of the cameras was off and stood up, carrying Belladonna on his back. He hurried to the other side of the mine, where the subordinates were waiting for them. Nobody had known about the corpses of the bosses and that bloodshed would stay as a secret… For now.

"Can we retire now, sir?" That was the first thing the whitefangers asked him as soon as they met. They were intelligent and it wasn't convenient to stay and wait for the superiors to come and inspect the installations.

"Everybody back to the airship." Taurus commanded and nobody questioned him.

On their way back to the wastelands, where the ship was being hidden, Adam commanded the two strongest faunus to carry Belladonna for him. They handled her perfectly and Gaurus picked up the pace to lead the group back to the airship. In the distance, the alarms of the mines started ringing. However, they would be too far for the guards to catch them. With that little blood spilled Adam felt better, the vengeance would be his someday.

* * *

Their routines had changed since the gunshot at the mines. Blake spent several weeks recovering and changed her training with Adam, making the sessions more theory than practice and fighting. The medical unit of the White Fang made daily cures to her shoulder, and after the bullet's extraction the shot could heal correctly and faster than expected thanks to the constant care and aura.

Taurus had assured her that she was a hero, saving him from a bullet aiming for his heart, an instantany kill. She had thanked him for that and when he kissed her hand as a reward, her heart fluttered and skipped a beat. That was when she realized her feelings for him.

Everytime he was around: during fights, training, missions or just simply working on the room beside hers…at the mere thought of having him close it made Blake get nervous and woke a desire to catch his attention so he could admire how good she was at the things she did. At first it had been a necessity to impress and not put down her partner but now it had evolved to a most romantical scenario.

Belladonna wasn't sure about his impressions of her. She always gave her best and Adam used to praise her but he was also cold…But not as cold with her than with the others. That gave her a slight ray of hope: Could he feel the same as her?

To find out, the cat faunus started to lose respect for his figure and dared to get closer. She acted like he did with her, not fearing or looking up at him anymore, just trying to be herself and act naturally so he could know her better. As he did sometimes with her, Belladonna dared to cross the door that connected their rooms. When he heard her coming in, turned around from his desk and work to face Blake, who brought incense and a book, remembering the times when she had to nurse Adam after being hurt, hoping her presence wouldn't disturb him.

"May I come in?" She softly asked, waiting for permission.

Taurus nodded and held out his hand to invite her sit by his side on the desk. That wasn't Blake's planned spot but she obeyed and went beside him.

"Is something wrong?" He noticed Belladonna's behaviour had changed and he hadn't discovered what was the reason yet but he had a theory that he expected to confirm that same afternoon.

"Not necessarily." She replied, leaving the box of rose cones incense in front of him. "You can keep this one for you."

The bull faunus grabbed the box of incense before his eyes and slowly approached it to his nose to smell the scent. Whenever Blake burned one of those rose cones, her clothes and skin would be impregnated of that delicious smell, something that pleased him. However, that sudden present was a sign that Blake wanted something for him in exchange. Women were so easy to read.

"I'll lit one when I finish the paperwork." Blake's eyes went to all the amount of papers on his desk, he was busy. "Make yourself at home." He added to not give the impression that he was kicking her out of his room, wanting to have her closer to examine her intentions and amuse himself with her behaviour.

It was the beginning of the weekend and it was late night, so Belladonna left the chair beside him and laid down on his bed, opening the book she had brought to distract herself while being around.

The bull faunus tried to not make it too obvious that he was observing Blake by the corner of his eye. She seemed to be immersed on her reading so he had free way to examine her nonverbal language. She wasn't wearing a loose T-shirt like he had seen the times she had been ill or recovering from the shot. This time she was wearing a black yukata as pajama, revealing her long legs and leaving them to his sight so he could enjoy her feminine forms. Intelligent girl… She knew her strong points and Adam's possible weaknesses as a male faunus. The incense wasn't an innocent gift at all, he imagined.

Belladonna changed her position, noticing Taurus' discreet glance on her. She laid on one side and slightly curled up one of her legs, giving her hips a nice round form for his sight, the yukata being lifted for the position and revealing some of her thighs skin. Her hand traveled to her own hair and put it out of the way, revealing her vulnerable neck. At this point, Adam had no doubt: she was trying to seduce him or at least catch his attention in a dirty form.

Taurus had enough of that, being her intentions discovered, he returned to the paperwork. Nevertheless, her glance on his back and the feminine scent made the work impossible. He had already guessed and interpreted her body language but he also wanted to hear what she had to say and find out if her attitude would be the same. He got up from his seat and walked towards the small fridge he had in a corner of the room. He had instant coffee and poured some inside a cup. He stared at Blake, who pretended well to ignore his presence, and dared to speak and tent the territory:

"Do you want some coffee?" He offered politely.

Belladonna pretended to get out of her lecture and leaned forward on the bed. It was very late and a dose of caffeine would difficult her sleep. She was often disturbed by thoughts of Adam, her family and Menagerie and sleeping wasn't an easy task so she had to reject the offer. However, when she was about to reject the coffee, Adam spoke again:

"I also have tea." The cat faunus nodded, that option fitted her more. "You're so predictable, Blake."

Her skin crawled at the mention of her first name coming out from Adam's mouth. He had never called her 'Blake' before, it was a positive step. Maybe he has been waiting for long that she dared to cross the door as he did sometimes. But what gave her intense chills was that second part. Adam was sl intelligent and always knew where to strine and how to get someone. Did he guess her feelings for him before she even realized them?

"Why would you say that... Adam?" She dared to call him by his name as well and he didn't seem to care, at least not in their privacy.

"Because we've known each other for a year now and I seem to know you well, pupil." He mocked, not falling into her trap, wanting to see if she would dare to say something too daring...

As Taurus prepared their drinks, Belladonna sat up and carefully marked the page of the book she was in, faking she was distracted to not follow that path of their conversation. He soon returned by the desk with their drinks and Blake moved her body towards the desk's direction, where he remained seaten, willing to speak to her. He took out a small bottle of vodka from a drawer under the desk and offered Blake some to add it to her tea, but she rejected it as well. Adam didn't insist and poured some inside his coffee to cheer himself up.

"But despite knowing you, your visit surprised me. Tell me, is something bothering you?" He remembered the thread of the conversation and restarted it to find more about Belladonna.

"No, I'm fine." She lied, hiding her true motives of her visit. "I just felt lonely locked in my room during a friday night."

Somebody else would have replied about going out to the city or things she could do to entertain herself on friday, but Taurus knew it wasn't about that neither so he focused on her loneliness.

"But you've made friends here. Your brothers and sisters…" He started but the cat faunus, rather desperate, cut his reply.

"Maybe friends have nothing to do with… feelings." She would have need to add 'loneliness' to make the answer concrete but Adam knew the direction this would go. She wasn't interested in making more friends, she was okay with having Ilia. Blake searched for something more intimate.

"Then what are you yearning for?" He asked, the question was infalible. She would have to tell him.

While Belladonna hesitated with the answer, Taurus finished his coffee, feeling the hot liquid and strong alcohol sliding down his throat. Looking down at her he considered the option to possess her and make a deal with her that would satisfy both. He was sure she would accept just to please him even if she wouldn't feel completely fulfilled with just intimacy. However, that would expose Taurus and he couldn't let Blake control his feelings, he wouldn't give her that power. He was the only one that could have power over her. And that love she felt for him only showed that he had more power than anyone else on her.

"I miss my family." She confessed, a truth but not the one he was searching for. "The fact of having someone to care for me deeply."

Belladonna looked up at him with pleaded eyes. She was searching for comfort, some kind of reward to make herself feel useful and loved. Taurus wanted to encourage her nightly visits to his room to amuse himself so he pleased her.

"Whenever you feel that way…" He said, lifting his hand to caress her soft raven hair. Blake leaned in the touch and closed her eyes. "... just come to me and I'll be with you."

Belladonna ended wrapping her arms around his chest. Taurus wasn't surprised for that sudden show of care. She wanted some pampering from him, a caring reward for being a nice pupil and a good partner. He wouldn't deny it to her, she deserved it, he had never imagined that simple election the day the pupils were assigned would result in having such a loyal partner who was willing to risk her life for him. Belladonna was out of serie and he would protect her because as much as he didn't want to admit it: he wanted her by his side. Blake made him grow stronger and more powerful and with her under his palm he would reach the high commands of the White Fang.

"I'll give you everything you want, Blake. Just with one condition: stay by my side and obey..." He whispered near her cat ears while stroking her hair.

Belladonna held onto him as much as she needed. Adam didn't protest, amused by the situation and expecting her next move… if she really had a teenage crush on him he would have to be ready to handle the situation. However, the cat faunus seemed to be too shy to confess her feelings so soon and she just pulled away and stared up at him with shiny eyes, happier than he had ever seen her since she was recultated in the Vale brotherhood.

"I'm fine here with you, I don't have any reason for leaving." She sentenced and then looked at the pile of papers on his desk. "I know you have to continue working but, can I stay here? I promise I'll be quiet."

Adam was tempted to tell her to return to her bedroom, but having her so dominated and submissive made him feel important, something that in an emotional field he had never experienced. It had been always out of respect or admiration coming from his obedient subordinates, but actually having somebody to care sentimentally for him… It felt good.

"You can come here whenever you want. Even if it is just to not be alone." He finally gave her the explicit permission she yearned for.

Belladonna smiled for herself and returned to his bed as he continued with his leader duties. Her heart was beating stronger than ever, she could feel its excitement closed in her chest. It was hard to return to her reading after that but she faked everything was okay and stood looking at the pages as her mind and heart burned. She could smell Adam's scent on the bed sheets, actually, his scent was all over the room but in the bed was more intense than elsewhere. It made her want to fall asleep and embrace the pillows. Her senses betrayed her and she slowly let go of the book as her body slowly shut down to rest.

Taurus finished his paperwork around 3am. His eyes ached for the long focus season with all the reports, letters and documents he had to read. He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles and yawned, something very rare on him, something just a few privileged would be able to presence. Thinking about privileged… Adam turned and found his pupil deeply asleep on his bed. The book was on the edge about to fall and she was relaxed, half-hugging the pillow where he used to lay his head down.

"Belladonna?" He whispered, silently getting up from the chair. "Blake." He called her louder but she continued diving in her world of dreams and clouds.

Seeing her null cooperation, the bull faunus carefully grabbed the book and closed it, folding the corner of the page she last read before leaving it on his bedside table. He found an angle to hold Belladonna without disturbing her sleep and slowly slid his arms under her waist and knees. She protested softly but searched for the warmth on his chest, replacing the embrace on the pillow for one on his neck. Taurus felt overwhelmed by that close contact but at the same time was satisfied. She was laying there on his arms, sleeping deeply, her raven hair falling down and her factions relaxed as she breathed peacefully. Nobody else in his life had been so exposed to him before, it was something new.

No. He wouldn't let something like that distract him. Maybe somebody else would value such closeness and care between partners. He couldn't allow himself to get his feelings nor instincts involved. He had an objective: become High Leader of the White Fang and destroy the Schnee Family along with its dust company. The Belladonna girl wouldn't get in his way, she was just a puppet to help him and maybe once all of his goals were achieved then he would consider seeing Blake as something else… more equally.

The bull faunus struggled to open the door that connected both of their rooms and not drop Blake. He laid her down on her own bed and lifted the bed sheets from one corner so she could cover her body. He didn't have to do much work as she unconsciously drowned in the pillows and pulled the bed sheets over her.

"Goodnight, pupil." He gave a soft pat to Blake's cat ears, making her softly purr in her sleep. "Rest well."

Silently, Taurus abandoned her room and locked himself inside his own quarters. His eyes traveled to the box of rose cones incense and her book on his bedside table. Those were mere distractions, he thought as he opened one of the drawers to confine those two objects inside and forget his loyal faunus partner.

* * *

The exception became a routine. Blake had the freedom to enter and exit Adam's room as much and whenever she wanted. He had her on his bed each night, reading and giving him shy glances from time to time. Nevertheless, she wasn't pushy and annoying because whenever Adam had free time she would keep reading quietly and she only spoke to him if he had before. She kept the respect and admiration for him but they became closer. Taurus noticed she had much trust on him as she had spoken about her childhood and personal memories to him. He may have done the same as well, remembering his toughest past.

He stared at the asleep cat faunus laying on his couch. He proceeded as he did everytime she was sleeping on his bed. He sat down on the bottom of it and shook her softly, enough to wake her up. Blake growled and spun to the other side, holding tight the pillow as a sign that she wanted to stay, something Taurus wouldn't allow. The bull faunus sighed and lifted his pupil's body but when he was about to stand from the bed, he noticed her small arms tightening his thorax.

"I want to stay." Blake confessed, half-asleep, rubbing her eyes. She could notice the sudden warmth on Adam's body.

"It can't be." He replied, his fingers trembling while holding her.

"You told me once that you wanted somebody to be by your side…" The cat faunus muttered, leaning on his contact.

"Not in the way you are offering me, Belladonna."

"Are you sure?" She asked again, seeing how he trembled due to their contact.

The silence spoke enough for Blake to understand his mental struggle. His hands stopped on her waist were in fact very warm and trembling. It was the effect she caused on him. Despite her proposal being subtle, it had been daring for her. Now it was Adam's turn to decide if he wanted her to stay or to leave.

Taurus feared that if he decided to take advantage of the situation, the devotion Belladonna felt for him would fade away slowly. It was the fact of having his figure unreachable what made her desire and want even more to serve him and be by his side. Laying her down in his bed would be a mistake and a risk he couldn't afford. A second hand, her loyalty and dedication were too worth to risk it all. He had to continue distant and unreachable so her desire to be by him could last longer and luckily never fade away. An affective interaction like the one she was yearning for would only get her feelings involved and bring problems to their partnership. As much as he wanted her body, he put some distance between them and stood up.

"We're pupil and mentor, partners. Nothing can change that. Do you understand, Blake?" He sentenced, seeing how her expression saddened.

"Our feelings don't matter, right?" She asked, more like assuming it. Everything for the White Fang.

"They shouldn't. Nevertheless, it is impossible to not develop affection towards your fellow brothers and sisters."

Belladonna's cat ears fell flat with deception. He was just telling her that they both had to remain as friends. Nothing more. To not lose her pride, she stood up from his bed and grabbed her books from the bedside table. She gave him one last glance before grabbing the doorknob of the door that would led her back to her room. Rejection burned her chest, feeling stupid and silly for allowing herself to be in such position. Humiliated with his reject. She would have to shelter herself from now on if that was what he felt or her self-esteem would end on the floor.

"Forget that this happened." Blake asked him, holding tight the books against her chest. "And don't expect me to ask you to stay another time."

Deep down she knew he had to feel something for her. Being conscious about that, she crossed the door and locked herself in her small dorm. She counted to three, expecting him to regret his words and change his mind. But he didn't chase after her. So all Blake had to do from now on was forget about her heart beating faster each time they were together. Eventually, the intense heartbeat would disappear and then she would be free from any sentimental boundaries that made her submit to him.

On the other side of the wall, Adam sat in his still warm bed and rubbed his chin. Had he made a mistake? He didn't expect her response. At least that kind of response, like sentencing that if he tried to get closer to her after that she would reject him. Maybe she had more self-esteem than he thought. Maybe he did a mistake. Would this decision put more distance between them instead of increasing Blake's devotion towards him?

Only time could tell.

* * *

First part of the story done. We've explored Blake's platonic feelings towards Adam and how she grows and deals with them until this last scene where she confesses and gets rejected.

On the second part of the story we'll explore Adam's mind as Belladonna begins to wake up from the illusion of the perfect gentleman and starts questioning the White Fang ideals. This will make Adam start a struggle to keep her by his side, exchanging the roles they had on the first part of the story.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **sassylittlebird:** I've seen it! I found a free link to read the comics and I've shared it for everyone on the Author's Note in the beggining. Luckily, they'll give us some more flashbacks from time to time in a next number of the comics. I loved the Tauradonna interactions.

 **Princess- Sera:** Thank you a lot for your comprehension, dear. Here's the next drabble just in time. I'm getting my driver license and that means a class every afternoon but despite everything I've recovered the updating schedule. I'm very happy.

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** Thank you a lot, I'm glad that you enjoyed it so far. I wasn't sure that people would like the pirate AU due to it's plot but I'm glad to see that nobody complained about it.

 **Rose:** Oh, a new reader! Lately there's not much Adam Taurus content and even less Tauradonna fics. I'm glad that you can read my drabbles. I update every weekend if you want to stay tunned. Thank you for binging my drabbles. Remember that I have more Tauradonna stories in my profiles that are not included in this collection of drabbles.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Thank you a lot, friend. Remember to vote on my new poll.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Emma, you are brilliant! I'm preparing something smutty and spooky (my fav combination) for this year's Halloween special. Also, I've been working on the eacher x student AU, how could I not come up with that idea before? Adam and Blake are perfect for this kind of AU! Thank you for all of your ideas, don't hesitate to writ something down for me. Check the poll to see what's up for the next pair of weeks ;)

 **Poll: Vote for the next drabble you would like to read!**

 **Option #1:** Teacher/Student AU: [M+] A story of forbidden love that explores the attraction between the new subtitute teacher and one of his students. Blake assures Mr. Taurus that she is only interested in his subject but he knows for sure that she wants much more than just his lessons.

 **Option #2:** Love Blossom: [T] As spring arrived, love grew inside the headquarter of the Vale branch. However, what could have been a romantic season full of loves becomes a nightmare when Sienna, the High Leader of the White Fang, stays in the branch with Adam to 'inspect' his job as leader. Being the tiger faunus on her way, Blake will have it difficult to earn Taurus' love, and even more when Sienna shows his true intentions.

 **Frozenheart7**


	42. Teacher's pet

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Teacher's pet

 **Rating:** M+

 **Summary:** [Teacher/Student AU] A story of forbidden love that explores the attraction between the new subtitute teacher and one of his students. Blake assures Mr. Taurus that she is only interested in his subject but he knows for sure that she wants much more than just his lessons.

* * *

Their morning encounter was sacred before classes at Menagerie's university. They met outside the library to walk together at the campus cafeteria to have breakfast. Ilia had never been a morning person, and less on mondays that she had philosophy class at first period. However, that week, the chameleon faunus appeared with a radiant smile that left Blake surprised deeply for her friend's behavior. On their way to the cafeteria they talked about their weekends and the homework they had to do.

The university campus was full of faunus students like them. Blake and Ilia loved to study but the project of making an university at the faunus kingdom was too recent to offer more variety of classes. However, it was the only option to keep studying after high school so nobody complained about the education system. Everybody liked the faunus campus because outside Menagerie it was compçicated to continue studying after high school. So most of the faunus looked at the campus as a hobby and not a mandatory thing. Once they arrived at the cafeteria, it was hard to find a table but when they did, Blake and Ilia quickly ordered their respective drinks. Only then, with her coffee on hand, Amitola spoke about her mood switch.

"Khan has left and we are getting a substitute teacher." Ilia announced, happy because the stricter teacher on probably the whole university would be gone. It wasn't bad news, especially knowing how she struggled to pass the exams. However, the fact that they got a substitute teacher meant that the lessons would keep going.

"But that doesn't mean you can skip philosophy. What's the good part of this?" The cat faunus asked, feeling that there was something her best friend wasn't telling her.

"You could come to class and help me raise my grades. The substitute won't know you're not in that class." Belladonna had her eyebrow raised in surprise as the chameleon faunus fantasized about getting a 100% in the next exam. "And for when professor Khan returns I'll be unreachable. I can't even imagine her face when she returns and makes a surprise exam to fail me…" Ilia kept plotting.

Blake and Ilia shared schedule but not classes. The chameleon faunus was more about arts, even though philosophy was a common class for everybody studying music, photography, theatre or art. Blake, however, had signed up for history, literature and anthropology classes, leaning towards a social sciences career. The cat faunus stared at the bottom of her warm tea, expecting that it would make her finish waking up soon. She had history on first period and it was true that Blake wasn't in the mood to talk about more historical racism towards the faunus as it made her blood boil. So, being unusual on somebody so disciplined and strict like Blake, she decided to skip class.

"Alright but just for today, deal?" Belladonna sentenced, earning a wide smile from her chameleon friend.

So, after having breakfast, Blake and Ilia entered in one of the classes of the arts department. They got on the third line of tables, a medium spot that would help them be focused on the contents of the class but would also allow them to share a few words if needed. In silence, they took out their pencilcase and notebooks. Blake was glad to finally do something good for her friend and be helpful by attending the same class and knowing about the subject to later explain it again so she could move forward.

When the substitute teacher entered the class, everybody immediately payed attention. Blake froze as a chill traveled up her spine. He was tall and was wearing a shirt that let see discreetly his muscular arms. His aura seemed cold, he didn't even smile or greet the class after his entrance. His appearance, however…

"I'm Mr. Taurus and I'll be taking Khan's place for a short period of time." He just said, his voice dry and cold.

"Damn, I did get too excited. We'll have just a few sessions to prepare then." Ilia whispered at her friend but seeing no answer, moved her hand in front of her eyes obtaining no reaction as well. She followed the direction of Blake's and reached the conclusion that she had been captivated by the teacher. "Stupid faunus teenage hormones…" The chameleon faunus said in a low tone.

"Hush, Ilia. Pay attention." Blake said from her trance as she started to write things on her notebook. Amitola rolled her eyes and started to take some notes but not as many as her cat faunus friend.

And despite being obviously attracted to that new teacher, Belladonna managed to pay attention to what he was saying. In fact, she believed that his appearance helped the students to focus on the content of the class as he spoke. His red hair was very particular and his black horns contrasted strongly with the reddish tonality. His mouth was also very attracting and as much as his voice and words were cold, it had something that made him seductive.

"I'm going to continue where Khan left the last class. However, I'll add more content to her sessions guide." He glanced for a moment at one of the papers he had been holding since his arrival and then left them on the table, making some space to lean his body on its corner. "What draws the line between what's right and what's wrong?" He asked to his new students.

The fact that the teacher was new and that the philosophy class was on a monday's first period explained why nobody found an approximate answer to the philosophical question. Mr. Taurus noticed the morning laziness of the attendants of his class and cleared his throat to rephrase the question.

"Can somebody give an example of an action that would be qualified as wrong?" The bull faunus asked again.

Belladonna kicked Ilia's leg under the table, giving her a signal for her to speak as the question was easy. Amitola, however, seemed intimidated by the substitute teacher's presence and so was the whole class it seemed. The cat faunus looked around and given the circumstances, raised her hand to answer the teacher's question. Nevertheless, the chameleon faunus quickly held her friend's hand to impede it. Blake raised her eyebrows at Ilia.

"You are not in his class. If you speak, he'll notice." Amitola warned her.

"Killing someone is wrong." One shy student sentenced, forced to speak so the class could carry on.

"But why is it qualified as wrong?" The teacher questioned again to the general public who listened to him. "Imagine you have murdered a serial killer, it would even save lives, something qualified as good. What makes an action good or wrong?"

"What society believes opportune." Blake suddenly intervened, who couldn't resist the temptation to participate in the debate. The teacher's icy blue eyes met her amber gaze and then turned to face her.

"Exactly. Society is a constant judge that has eyes everywhere." He concluded, his eyes traveling on the face of his unknown student. Blake felt a small cold chill on her body. He swallowed down some saliva and leaned his hands in the cat faunus' table.

"If I decided to cross the line and have a consensual relationship with a student, for example, what would happen?" He asked to her out of nowhere, at least apparently.

"You would probably get fired." Ilia answered for Blake, who was too shocked to answer so quickly.

"But would I be doing a wrong action if the relation is mutual?" Adam asked again, ignoring the chameleon faunus beside Blake.

"No, but it would be considered as wrong due to a code established previously on our university." Belladonna managed to respond in an intelligent way that satisfied the teacher.

"That's it." Taurus assured her, a smirk escaping from his mouth. Then moved backward and stared at the whole class, rising gis voice to be heard and wake up the almost sleepy students sitting on the last rows. "This will be today's class topic: Who defines the ethical codes of our society?"

Having such amazing view, the hour that the class lasted went by very quickly. It was almost disappointing how the lesson ended. And it was amazing how Ilia behaved and resisted against the morning sleepiness to listen during the entire class.

"For next class, you'll have to make an essay with today's class contents. This way I'll know if I made myself clear." The bull faunus sentenced.

When Blake's eyes traveled up the notebook, she met her friend's, who were curiously examining the content written down on the paper. Despite drooling over the teacher, she had managed to take a handful of notes of the class content.

"I could use some of your notes…" Amitola commented on the air. "How can you write so fast and still have good calligraphy?"

Blake shrugged and quickly cleaned up her table, packing her notebook, bottle of water and pencilcase back inside her bag. Ilia did the same but more quickly and sloppily.

"Do you want to go and grab something to eat together?" The chameleon faunus proposed, earning strict glance from her friend.

"We're going to the library to do the assignment." She sentenced . "If we finish early maybe then we can." Added while getting up. Ilia sighed and mimicked her friend, following her swift steps to exit the class.

Blake glanced one last time into the class where the teacher was sitting and writing something down on a paper. Being subtle, she turned and followed her way along with Ilia. Only then, she believed his glance was nailed on her back until they turned around the corner of the hallway. Luckily, she forgot quickly about it as the library was very close to the area of the building they had been taking the philosophy class. When they entered, Belladonna noticed that the art department's library was brighter and newer in comparison with her faculty's one. She could get used to it. And being midday, the space was barely occupied so Blake and Ilia could work more efficiently and without worrying too much about their voices.

They occupied an isolated table on one of the extremes of the library, near the bathroom and the office of the librarian. Ilia took out her poor notes and a clean piece of paper to start writing but with the things she had written down it couldn't be enough to make an essay. The chameleon faunus looked up to her friend and Blake had no other choice to lend her the notebook where she had been taking notes.

"That's a handful of info for sure." Amitola said, grateful. However, seeing that the cat faunus was going to grab a book and start reading, cleared her throat. "How do I even start?"

Blake put down the book and looked at the blank paper.

"You should think of a title for your essay first." The cat faunus advised.

Ilia nodded and started to write while Blake silently read each word she wrote. Then she felt that sensation on her back again. It was a chilling glance nailed on her that unstabilized her heart. She turned, hesitating, and saw the figure of the substitute teacher crossing the room until reaching the librarian's office. There he lent something to the employee and he left to proceed and do photocopies. Once Mr. Taurus was waiting, Belladonna made sure to turn for him not to notice her glancing at him so obviously. Then, she met Ilia's eyes on her, she was smiling.

"We're going to need to call the cleaning staff if you keep drooling over him." She joked, earning a sharp glance from the cat faunus.

"You get to work." Belladonna spat and returned to the lecture of her selected book.

However, the cat faunus couldn't manage to focus on the book until the teacher left the library with his documenta in hand. She looked up for a moment and believed that their glances crossed for a brief moment. When he was gone, noticed that Ilia was staring at her as well with a smirk.

"Save the commentaries for your essay." The cat faunus spat.

* * *

Ilia's essay was brilliant. So brilliant that the teacher didn't actually believe that she had written it herself. When he returned the corrected essays to his students after class, he left Ilia's for the last. She observed the 100% obtained and smiled grateful but seeing the teacher's presence still in front of her told her that something was wrong. Despite that, he waited for the others to exit the room to speak.

"You couldn't have written this all alone." The teacher sentenced and then stared at the spot where Blake used to seat. "I saw you at the library with that friend of yours… did she help you with it?"

And what could Ilia answer to that if his icy blue glance was piercing her?

Meanwhile, outside the classroom, Blake was waiting for her friend. She hadn't skipped her class anymore despite liking philosophy more than her actual subjects. All the students of ' class exited the room with their essays in hand, commenting the grades they had obtained. The biggest part of them were complaining for the corrections, sign that he was a strict teacher. Belladonna didn't see Ilia among the students and decided to peek inside the class where saw her arguing with Taurus.

"Khan told me who was on which level and I know you couldn't be one of the students that hit the highest grade." Taurus was saying to Amitola, who seemed cornered. "You have failed every single activity. Trying to make me believe that this is yours is insulting." He seemed angry.

"It's not what you think, Mr. Taurus." Belladonna suddenly interrupted to save her friend, entering the room. "Yes, I did help Ilia for she wanted a new chance to improve while Ms. Khan is gone." Belladonna confessed.

Adam's expression and form got less tense with the cat faunus' intervention. He rubbed his forehead, a sign that his head was burning and faced little Belladonna.

"How can I know for sure that she didn't copy?" He asked to Blake, who now was standing in front of him and staring at him with a look that transmitted calm.

The cat faunus put her bag on the table and took her notebook from inside of it. She opened it for him in the page where she had made a fake essay for Ilia to see in which format she needed to write. The teacher grabbed her notebook and started reading the notes from his class and the example of essay.

"I was just being a good friend by helping Ilia raise her grades, is that so bad?" Blake added once he had read most of it.

"No, it's not bad." The bull faunus sentenced, remembering the topic of the first and only class that Blake had assisted. He grabbed a pen and wrote something down on her notebook, Blake believed it was some kind of correction. He closed it and returned the notebook to Belladonna. Then he turned to Ilia. "If a students needs help with a subject the best is to sign up for a tutorial. Have it in mind, Amitola."

"I will…" The chameleon had no other choice than to obey. That meant he would still consider that her essay was rated 100% despite Blake's help?

"And you, dear, make sure to check your notes to find unspecified mistakes." He told Blake, surprised of the fact that had called her by a pet name and actually still hadn't asked for her real name.

The cat faunus nodded, confused by the way his words flew. The touch of Ilia's hand break his spell and got out of the trance but not before looking one last time at him before exiting the classroom.

* * *

It was once she slept a long nap that Blake actually decided to do her homework. The sun had set and she was still sleepy so she decided to make her bed and put on some music to finish waking up. After ordering her cute room, she grabbed her bag and took out the notebook. Then went for her laptop and laid on the bed, ready to work. She signed up on the virtual campus and checked her assignments. They still hadn't uploaded the weekend homework as it was still thursday. There was not much to do then.

Her eyes traveled to the notebook. Out of curiosity, she decided to check the annotations the philosophy teacher had made. Opening the pages, she localized the notes taken in his class. However, she didn't find any correction, just a number written on the end of the page. Was it-... his telephone number? Who else's could that be? There were no corrections, just that number written with his pen. Nobody else had access to her notebook except the teacher. Should she try and call? Unconsciously, the cat faunus started to heat up as she bit her lip, contemplating the possibility of the teacher's interest on her. She needed answers.

The telephone line was open and she waited patiently for an answer. The line finally stopped to beep, a sign that somebody had answered the call.

"Took you long enough." His voice purred at the other side of the line.

"Mr. Taurus?!" Blake exclaimed, not believing everything that was happening. "Why would you write down your number?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He briefly laughed. "I believe you have a lot of questions, my darling. How about I answer them while having a coffee before class?"

Blake bit the tip of the pencil she was holding with her other hand. She was tempted but didn't want to be in much trouble. Her curiosity didn't allow her to skip the opportunity to meet Mr. Taurus better. She needed to know the reason of his interest for her. However, she knew that she would run if something got too serious. He was testing her and she would do the same as well.

"Alright. But let's be cautious and don't let anybody of the campus see us together…" Belladonna warned.

"We wouldn't be doing anything bad, there's no need to hide." Was his answer.

"The others don't have time to ask themselves if it's appropriate or not for a teacher to hang out with a student." Belladonna wanted to leave it clear. "Those are my conditions if you want to meet me."

"You win, for now." Adam sentenced. "We'll have plenty of time to discuss the matter."

"We'll see…" Blake said, not very convinced.

"I'll look forward to it." Were his last words before the call ended.

Belladonna observed the screen as the lone was cut by him. That had been weird. It only made her curiosity increase.

* * *

Belladonna arrived specially early to find a table isolated on the cafe nearest to the university. She picked a place on one of the corners, far from the sight of the whole building. Maybe there they would have privacy but she couldn't help and still be nervous. She wasn't good with handling and controlling her feelings or emotions. She considered herself a more mental person, preferring to keep the coldness. With , however, she felt different. Something inside her burned, he made her feel tingles in her body. The only way to find out how she could control that, or even stop it, was meeting him.

As it was early, the cat faunus took out one of the books she was currently reading. She always carried a pencil to took notes, at least on essays. She only read narrative literature at home, in private.

"Women that read can be very dangerous." Suddenly Taurus said, as a way to greet her. Blake jumped, startled because of his unexpected presence. He smiled at her spontaneous action. "You never know what's going inside their heads."

"Mr. Taurus, please, don't startle me like that again." Belladonna begged, closing the book to keep her lecture for herself.

"Just Adam. At least outside the classroom." He asked at her student, sitting in front of her. He placed two drinks on the table. "I took myself the liberty to order yours too. We don't want to catch everybody's attention, would we?"

Blake nodded and grabbed her drink. It was hot but she couldn't figure what was the content of the portable carton recipient. Was it coffee? She preferred tea but…

"Didn't you have questions for me? Go on." The bull faunus interrupted her thoughts, focused on her.

"I-... just…" Belladonna was in blank, not knowing where to start. His eyes on her made her be nervous and he was noticing it. She just hoped he wasn't enjoying it on purpose. "...want to know what's all of this about." She concluded.

"I wanted to meet you outside the class, that's all." He read in her eyes that the answer he was giving her didn't clear all of her doubts. So he continued: "I couldn't get you out of my head since our first and last class together."

Belladonna was left speechless once more. So he was admitting out of the open that he, a teacher, had a crush with his student. How could he have the nerve to confess it so carelessly? Somebody else would hide it to not risk his job. Why did he act so liberal? Was it because of his philosophy or because his job as teacher was just temporary?

"Now it's my turn to ask." He sentenced, seeing her absence of work. "Why didn't you return to my class after our debate? I thought you had enjoyed it."

Blake thanked that the topic had changed to his subject and not her. It made her be more calm. To answer and seem stable, she imagined he hadn't confessed his attraction towards her.

"I did sign up to go to your class, I'm waiting for the university's approval to change my other class for yours." The cat faunus answered, it was the truth after all. She wasn't in his class, she only went to help Ilia on her first day. Nevertheless, she did like Adam's teaching so she decided last night to apply for his class and exchange one of her subjects for his.

"Actually, it's not the university who decides that. The choice is mine to take if I accept new students." He explained to her and opened the bag he carried. He took out a few documents. Blake read it as he searched between the pages. It was the list of his students. At the end of it, there were the students that had solicited to be in his class. There was only her name. "Blake Belladonna, here you are… So that's your name." That was right, he still didn't know her name until that moment since she wasn't in the student's list.

"Are you going to accept me in?" The cat faunus asked, giving a sip to the drink he had bought her. It was coffee but with a sweet flavour. Maybe it was the special coffee with candy cream.

"No." He sentenced, ripping her name off the paper, destroying her solicitude to join his class.

"Why not?!" Belladonna exclaimed, deceived because of his choice. What was wrong with him?

"I choose being with you outside my class, not inside." He explained to her.

"I'm interested in your subject, not you." Blake complained. It seemed as if he didn't listen to her at all.

The bull faunus laughed and then calmly finished his coffee. Only then, he smirked at the curious girl in front of him.

"Are you sure? Why did you call me, then?" He questioned her, leaving Blake in checkmate.

"I-..." The student found no answer for that. He had managed to corner her without even getting up from his chair. "I don't think this has been a good idea… Excuse me."

Belladonna grabbed her bag and ran away from the corner where their table was. He didn't chase after her because it would be suspicious. The cat faunus exited the cafeteria and made sure no students were alarmed because of her strange behavior and even more after being with her teacher in a table for two. Luckily, nobody cared and didn't seem to notice.

"Blake!" Ilia yelled, just arriving at the campus. She sensed something was off but just ignored it, believing the cat faunus had been waiting for her this whole time. "Everything alright?"

"Yes, it's alright." Belladonna replied, grabbing her friend's hand to walk away from the building as far as possible. "Now I want to go to class, I'll explain everything to you later."

Amitola had never liked being left with doubt but this time she sensed something important for Blake was going on. So, to not disturb her, she made the effort to wait for the news.

* * *

With her telephone on her human ear and the laptop in front of her, Belladonna was willing to fight for what she wanted. She entered the university's online web page and searches for the appliments link.

"And he ripped the solicitude in front of you?!" Ilia exclaimed through the phone. Blake had explained to her everything, including the fact that he had written his number on her notebook and the small meeting at the cafeteria. Amitola was perplexed for everything that had happened in a small time. "He seems normal, at least with me during our tutorial."

"Well I can assure you he is everything except normal with me." Belladonna replied. A small part of her was glad that Mr. Taurus wasn't interested on Ilia, that meant he wasn't a student molester. He just had his eyes on Blake and she didn't know if it was good or wrong.

"And you don't want to give him a chance?" The chameleon faunus asked.

"He's a teacher! We would get caught." Blake replied, not understanding why Ilia so suddenly was being so liberal about relationships between teachers and students.

"Nobody needs to know." Ilia continued trying to convince her friend.

"Gods! You sound just like him. Cut it out!" The cat faunus exclaimed, laughing along with Amitola.

Meanwhile the conversation continued, Belladonna was accessing at the document to fill to access Adam's class. She would fill more solicitudes until he took her seriously. She really wanted to be in his class, she had liked philosophy a lot. So, entering her personal student number, she applied again for being in the philosophy class.

"Maybe you should try to talk to him seriously." Amitola proposed a brilliant idea. "Come pick me up after his tutorial with me. It'll be the perfect opportunity to talk."

"I don't know, Ilia." Belladonna was a mess, she didn't know what to think about everything. Yes, she had liked the philosophy class but Mr. Taurus was handsome as well. He had left clear that he would chose her over his class, that was why he destroyed her petition. Belladonna, however, didn't have that decision as clear as him. "The petition is sent now, I'll just have to wait."

"I don't know why you're so stubborn about it. In a few weeks Miss Sienna will return and you'll hate the subject." Ilia commented through the telephonical line. "Mr. Taurus is just a substitute teacher, if you have a little adventure with him it will be too late if anybody ever finds out."

"Ilia!" Blake yelled and she received a warning yell from her parents downstairs. "Okay, this conversation is getting too weird at this point. I have to hang." She said and after saying goodbye, ended the call.

Her heart was racing too fast while checking the solicitude that had been just send to him. He was playing with her, so why couldn't she? He deserved it for ripping her name off the student's list. But being sincere, both knew that Blake would lose interest in the subject after Adam left. Ilia also pointed it out. Belladonna couldn't deny it, it was true. But it would be a way to be entertained as she didn't know if she could ever be capable to cross the line and try to initiate a relationship.

Her phone vibrated, a sign that she had just received a message. Blake lazily checked her messages and found an unknown though familiar number that had sent her a message.

"As much as you try to sneak into my class, I won't accept the solicitude." The message said.

Belladonna had already guessed who might be the sender. But to confirm it, the cat faunus pressed on the profile photo of the user to amplify it. The answer laid right in front of her eyes. It was Mr. Taurus, in an elegant suit. He usually wore a shirt but the suit and the tie made him look even hotter. Blake bit her lip as she exited the photo and read the message again. Maybe Ilia was right. Maybe having a little fun would be nice. The conversation was between them both, nobody would know what happened, right?

"Mr. Taurus, please, reconsider it." She sent, playing the innocent role. "I will do anything…" Was the message that followed.

The answer didn't have to be waited for too long. He quickly tipped and Blake waited impatiently for his answer to her provocation.

"You're trying to drive me crazy, Belladonna. I thought you were a good girl." He played along, following her game and continuing the roleplay.

"Maybe I'm too bad for you." She teased again. She would pay to see his expression while sending him those messages.

"Then I'd have to punish you." Was his immediate reply. "To show you some manners, baby girl."

Belladonna couldn't deny that the last message he had sent made her feel some tingles on her lower stomach. Could he be feeling the same with every teasing message she was sending? Certainly, that pet name, baby girl, was very appropriate for her. It made her feel special as no other boyfriend she had ever had called her with a special name.

"Not if I'm outside your class." She continued the strategy to convince him. "You have no power over me."

This time, several minutes passed before he answered. Blake wondered if she had went too far. But it was hard to make suppositions about somebody who was so surprising as Mr. Taurus. Maybe deep down he also had modal dilemmas as she had to spend time together. Whatever the case was, he did manage to get in the cat faunus' mind. Furthermore, Ilia had also encouraged her and Blake was beyond just teasing the substitute teacher. She did need some fun and behind a screen it was easier for someone shy like her. However, during those minutes he spent typing and erasing, questions couldn't stop filling her mind.

"I want you everywhere except in my classroom, Blake. A teacher always has his favorite student, but you can be much more than that… I'm sure that being such a nice student you'd also prefer something more 'serious' between you and me. What I don't understand is why this morning you ran out of the cafeteria and now you're just sensing me dirty messages to get your way. Make up your mind, Belladonna." The message concluded.

Blake turned the phone off when she ended reading his last words. Now she felt guilty for trying to have some fun with him via messages. But he did also try to have fun with her that morning and it was worse because it had been in person.

The cat faunus grabbed her laptop and sent a mail to Ilia, sentencing her decision:

"Tomorrow wait for me after your class with Mr. Taurus. I need to have a word with him."

* * *

Waiting outside Mr. Taurus office was exasperating. Blake's hands trembled as she was expecting the door to be open soon. It was time to speak seriously about the whole matter with the substitute teacher. She hadn't replied his last message. In fact, she didn't even dare to turn on her telephone. Seaking in person was way better to solve conflicts. Being able to see the facial expression and hear the voice tone was less conductive than just discussing through texts. So there she was, waiting for Ilia as a reason for being out in the university's art department hallway, waiting impatiently.

The sound of the door opening made Belladonna snap out of her trance. Ilia exited with a bunch of papers on her arms. Mr. Taurus was really making her work hard but she would manage to raise her grades for when Sienna returned.

"Thank you, Mr. Taurus." Amitola said, noticing that the cat faunus was there in a corner waiting for her.

"Don't forget to make the work I've given you and don't lose focus on-..." His words stopped when his sight rested on the cat faunus figure, who had approached to stand beside the chameleon faunus.

Amitola saw the connection of their glances. Desire could be read all over their faces. So, stepping back, she cleared her throat to catch the couple's attention.

"I'll leave you two alone so you can talk…" Amitola sentenced, grabbing all of her things. She walked away and wished good luck to Belladonna.

"Can I come in?" Blake asked, looking at both sides of the hallway, making sure nobody could see her entering his office. Adam opened the door completely for her and she passed inside. He closed the door behind her and the cat faunus locked the door to make sure nobody could interrupt them. They were finally alone at last.

"I think yesterday you misunderstood me. I don't know what I'm exactly doing here." Belladonna started.

"If someone has to apologize it's me. I started playing around with you and when you followed my game I scolded you. It wasn't fair." Mr. Taurus confessed.

"It's okay, we both screwed up." Blake sentenced. "We could start from zero…" She proposed.

"Fair enough." Adam agreed and paced towards his desk. He moved the other chair next to his and while sitting down pates down the free seat for Blake to join him. The cat faunus advanced, hesitating at first, and sat in front of the teacher. "Can I offer you something? Coffee? Water?" He asked out of courtesy, grabbing a thermo he had on the desk full of coffee and filling his cup with it.

"Do you have tea?" He shook his head in reply. "I prefer not to take caffeine at the afternoon." Blake explained.

The bull faunus sipped from his cup and then faced the student. Little Belladonna was tightening her skirt and pressing her feet together while sitting, a sign that she was anxious for something. Her eyes were like little amber stones, shining curiously.

"I want you to chose, Blake: being in my class or being with me." He went straight to the chase, being clear with the student. "You can't have both."

"I know… I'm just very confused." She confessed. "I've never felt this with just staring at one person." She said while touching her heart and stomach.

"There's just one solution for that, baby girl." He sentenced, leaning forward to close their distance. "We're young and free, so let's for once forget about everything else and enjoy the moment."

The bull faunus waited for her to make the first step to make sure he had her consent. Blake didn't make him wait for too long, leaning forward to make their lips met. Adam savoured her tender flesh as she let him access her mouth. However, when he was about to deepen the kiss with his tongue, she pulled away. Taurus tried to grab her but she stood up just to approach and sit on his lap. He made sure to embrace her waist very tightly so she could not escape again.

"Do you still think I need a punishment?" Belladonna asked, knowing that it was the right moment to play with him now that they were finally alone.

"You are in need of everything I could think right now except a punishment." He replied and then got closer to her cat ears. "Besides, you actually look more like a good girl type although you try to fool me into the opposite."

"Really?" Blake laughed and afterwards shared a quick peck. "You are good reading people." She added before starting a round of savage kissing.

Taurus wasn't like any other boy Blake had dated before. He wasn't afraid to touch her and use heavy-petting to get her in the mood. Furthermore, he knew exactly what weak points to rub to obtain the results he wished. It was when his hand squished her buttocks that she slightly moaned, mouths still together. He leaned back and kissed her neck, wanting to hear something that would satisfy him greatly. His teeth captured her tender flesh near the jaw, making little Belladonna shiver and whisper what he had been expecting since she had entered his office.

"Mr. Taurus…" She moaned shyly. Afterwards, he made eye contact, making her blush.

"Just Adam, but only outside the class." He reminded her and then returned to her jaw, biting down again. The result was the same, just that this time she obliged. "Adam…" She sighed out, brushing locks of his reddish hair between her fingers.

"Good girl." He complimented her as he tightened her waist and started a pacing motion that created friction between her thighs and his lap.

The cat faunus embraced his shoulders as he intensified the riding. Even though they still were fully-dressed, the occasion was as hot as if they weren't. Taurus turned his head aside to admire her expression while their intimacy touched. She was with her eyes closed, focused on the touch shared between them, biting her lip and sighing out loud, tightening with her sharp nails the shirt he was wearing. Taking advantage of her actual clothing, Mr. Taurus lifted her short skirt and sneaked his fingers so the tips caressed her panties. She was burning hot, aching with need as he grew into more and more arousal with having her moaning between his arms.

Belladonna heard the bull faunus unbuckling his belt, trying to free himself of his pants. That made her snap out of the sexual hypnosis he had submitted her to.

"Here? Do you want to do it in your office?" Blake asked, staring at him with shyness.

"Of course, my darling. Do you have a better idea?" He purred, kissing near her human ears, a weak spot she had very sensitive in particular. She purred out in bliss.

"Why don't we wait until next week? And when you're over the substitution we can go to your house and finish up." Belladonna proposed. "There we could make all the noise we want."

Adam stopped all of a sudden, too soon and brute that it resulted weird. When their eyes met again, Blake guessed there was something wrong about what she had said.

"Next week I'll be leaving out of Menagerie as soon as my substitution ends." Adam confessed and witnessed Belladonna's disappointment expression. "I didn't now you weren't aware, baby girl."

He tried to caress her cheek with his thumb but she denied the contact. She pulled away from his grip and stepped back as she quickly put down her skirt again. She combed her hair backward and sighed, pacing in circles, trying to snap out of the hotness burning inside of her. He had started a fire in her body but Blake was more than her instincts. She didn't want to bond with him if he was just going to leave and forget about everything.

"I can't." The cat faunus confessed, facing him, back to her senses. "I can't if you're going to leave."

"I'm not staying here. As much as I wanted, I have another substitution waiting in Mistral" he explained to the student, who opened her eyes in surprise. But not a good surprise, it was more like decievement.

"And you're going to find another silly student to fall for you and then leave again? As you are doing with me and surely you've done before?" Belladonna asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"The things you're implying are insulting to my person. Do you think I'd risk my job just for some adventure with a random student?" His voice sounded more low, it was almost intimidating. He was angry and beneath that hurt too because of what Blake thought of him. It was true that they still hadn't dated or even had the intention to know each other emotionally but he was speaking of him as if he was a predator and a runaway criminal.

"I just wish we could be a normal couple. Go to a restaurant, have a romantic dinner and then sleep together at your house." Belladonna tried to soften the ambiance.

"You've clearly fantasized too much about me, baby girl. I never talked about being a couple." He spat out, making her heart skip a beat.

Blake had been innocent enough to believe that he could actually desire something more stable with her and Adam had been selfish enough to not ask her what she wanted, about limits and consent. Both, in some way, were disappointed with each other.

"You are talking to me about fantasies?" She sighed out, frustrated. "You're the teacher who's turned on by hooking up with a student."

"As if you were faking it all this time." He laughed ironically but stopped when saw the cat faunus' serious expression.

"We both have been obviously trying to recreate a fantasy we know it won't come true." She sentenced. "Because fantasies are just that: fiction."

Belladonna walked backward and got a hold on the doorknob. She looked at him one last time before leaving and disappearing behind the door. Mr. Taurus was left alone once more with an unsolved problem and an insufferable corporal heat.

* * *

A week passed by so quickly that it almost made Blake forget about everything. The rush Mr. Taurus made her feel had been a daydream and it had to be left at that too. However, that friday morning, she received a message that made her moral tilt slightly.

"Today's my last day in Menagerie. Wish me a good trip to Mistral."

Adam's message made her heartbeats race once more. She had managed to stay away from him, they hadn't met or even written to each other during all the week but now that he had contacted her… It made Blake question her actions. Had she been to insecure? No, that was not it. She had been childish to believe that all passion stories ended with an 'I love you' followed by a happy ending.

So, to get free from all the regrets and the feeling of having made it wrong with Adam, Belladonna left to Menagerie's university despite not having classes on friday. She didn't even reply to his text to not waste a single second of her blessed time. She wouldn't let their story end like that, every meeting they had resulted in a not understood conversation that made them split until they met again. If he was going to leave, she would go to his office to say goodbye and make things well to get rid of any regret on her conscience.

As she thought over and over about what to say to make everything right with Mr. Taurus, she arrived at the university. When she entered the Art's department she realized she didn't come up with a concrete plan to leave everything solved with the substitute teacher. She sighed twice before knocking at his office's door. The last time she had been there she left even though both were at the boiling point. This time, instead, the door didn't get open for her. She could hear noise inside though, a sign that he was in his office. So, collecting all the bravery she could, the cat faunus finally opened the door. Their eyes met once more.

"What are you doing in here?" He asked, he seemed very surprised because of her presence despite everything that had happened. "I thought you wouldn't care about my text."

"Do you want me to leave?" Blake asked, leaving the door open and making a pair of steps backward, half of her body outside at the hallway.

"No." He replied, almost desperate. His tone sounded excited although his body tried to move calmly as he advanced to close the door of the office so Belladonna couldn't leave.

As he leaned over her, Blake looked at the table of his office. Once it had been full of papers and on it there would be his laptop. But now, everything had been exchanged for emptiness. The wood of the table was shining brightly and the boxes full of a few things he had added as decorations were laying forgotten on the floor.

"I've come to apologize." Blake confessed, now keeping her focus on his face. "I don't know what we were doing. I messed up. I don't have that much experience with men..."

Taurus had been listening carefully to her words, comprehending her although in his loneliness he had already done that. She was a scared little girl who had started feeling butterflies on her stomach the second he crossed the door. The adrenaline and the forbidden nature of their love made everything more interesting and that excited and at the same time scared her. But now she was back, it was the third time they met and as the saying said… Could it be that she wanted what he had been expecting since the beginning?

"There's one way I can think of that would compensate everything." He proposed, his tone immediately making her understand what he was thinking of.

Belladonna gave Adam that unconscious innocent glance she had whenever she looked up at him. It turned him on like nothing else ever had. Without asking, driven by his passion, he pulled her against him and kissed her lips. The cat faunus at first didn't dare to react, her body was burning too hot to think straight. But, finally, she accepted his tongue and opened her mouth for him, embracing her arms as they kissed. With him, she felt fulfilled as a woman, she felt like nobody else had made her feel before. The opportunity was too interesting to let it go, to let him go as if nothing happened these days.

His hands searched to travel down her legs and start exploring her body under her clothes, but before everything could advance, she stepped back.

"If we move forward, can we go somewhere more comfortable?" Blake asked shyly, batting her eyelashes in a way that she knew that he couldn't say her 'no'.

Taurus looked around, knowing that they couldn't go to her house or his as last night he abandoned it as the contract finished. She had arrived at the exact moment when he had no more options. He had accepted that he would leave empty handed, however, now he had the cat faunus between his hands and didn't know what to do with her. She was giving him the consent to continue and nothing would stop him, not even the fact that they didn't have a private place.

"I have an idea." Mr. Taurus sentenced and got away from her. Blake immediately felt the cold air impacting with the heat he had awaken as the distance between them grew.

The bull faunus walked towards the now empty table and patted the superficie for Blake to sit on it. She took a few seconds to react to his solution but looking around the office, the table was the most comfortable place they both could think of. She walked towards it and with a little jump sat on its edge. Taurus approached and made their lips meet again, this time more calmly than before.

"Are you sure you want to continue?" He asked between pauses. "You still can leave if you don't want to." He reminded her.

"I want." Blake affirmed.

He stared at Blake as if he didn't believe her. But his suspicion only lasted until she started unbuttoning his white shirt. Once she had undressed his thorax there were no more traces of hesitation. The cat faunus let out a sigh as she caressed his chest. He was a real man, not like any other boy she had dated before. With a body like his, she wouldn't need as much foreplay as she did with her former boyfriends to get in the mood. As her fingers kept massaging him, he maintained himself busy by exploring her legs. He thanked internally about the skirt she was wearing that made the job so much easier. He rubbed his fingertips over her womanhood and moaned when he felt the warmth of her insides. She was already ready for him and that fact made the whole thing even more pleasant. He giggled to himself which made Belladonna blush as she took off her thin jacket. It fell on the floor as he found a weak spot between her legs which made her moan.

"Don't tease me." The cat faunus purred, with only a few minutes of rubbing she was already hitting the edge. Taurus noticed it and stopped, neither of them wanted the fun to end so soon.

"Do you want me to undress you?" He kept teasing, now playing with the buttons of her shirt. She nodded and accompanied his fingers so he could start getting rid of her clothes too.

In question of a minute, they both were almost naked. Adam was busy giving some attention to Blake's chest and she was entertained by unbuckling his belt and pulling down his pants. She impulsed herself closer to his body, her buttocks on the edge of the table. When she had him to her reach, tangled both of her legs around his back, pulling his center closer to hers. A slight rub between their sexs was enough to bring his attention back to her expression. She was in a desperate need to have him. They both had enough foreplay.

"I brought this." Belladonna told him, giving him a condom that she had been hiding this whole time.

"Smart girl." He complimented, kissing her cheek as he accepted it.

The bull faunus, being both of them ready, pulled her panties down her legs until fell to the floor with the rest of his clothes. Then got rid of his underwear too and put on the condom. While he did all of that, Belladonna looked away shyly and ended hugging his shoulders as she waited for him to enter her body. However, before that, he caressed her black mane and approached her ear:

"Do you want me now?" He asked her to make sure once more.

"Yes." She replied, slightly letting him go so their eyes could meet. "I'm sure. Go on." She insisted, being in a desperate need for him.

As he held her chin to kiss her, with his other hand guided himself to her entrance. When he felt her wet juices around him, he didn't have time to think and just penetrated her, enjoying her warmth around his manhood finally. Blake let out a small high pitched moan that pleased him as she nailed her fingers on his back. Once he was completely inside of her, she tangled her legs around him so their bodies could be as near as possible. It limited his movements but the sensation skin to skin was pleasant for both of them. A slow thrust started as she was still getting used to his size.

"You wanted this since the beginning." He told her, it wasn't a question but an affirmation. One proof was that she carried a condom with her. "Don't lie, baby girl. You were just making it difficult."

This accusations were followed by playful bites on her neck and jawline. Blake whimpered as he picked up the pace and went quicker each time.

"Maybe I did." She replied. Only then he stopped biting her, an appropriate form to punish her for the lack of sincerity. "But I was scared to admit it." She confessed later.

As he seemed satisfied with her answer, grabbed her hair, pulled her head backward and kissed her in a dominant way, inserting his tongue to invade her mouth. The deep kiss left her breathless so she leaned backward on the table, almost laying down on it, to rest for a moment. He ended pushing her further until she laid on the wood and took advantage of it to caress her waist, breasts and stomach. Whenever he leaned down to kiss her skin slowed down his movements.

"Just enjoy, my darling." He sentenced before parting her legs, a sign that announced that he would start going hard. "And think about what you would have missed if you didn't come to say goodbye."

He didn't allow her to even answer. He placed one of her ankles on his shoulder and then kept himself busy penetrating her sex hard and rubbing her bundle of nerves, hidden among her womahood's lips. That made Belladonna start to build up the lost orgasm he almost made her reach during their foreplay.

"I'm almost there." Blake confessed, feeling she could hit the climax in any moment.

"Not so fast, Belladonna." He stopped stimulating her spot and made her sit once more on the table. "We deserve a longer happy ending." He teased, now having her face a few inches from his.

He slowed down the pace for as much as he wouldn't tell her, he was also very turned on and would come in any minute. A new round of kisses started as he exited her insides. With his eyes closed, he searched for her hand on the wood. Carefully holding it, he guided her fingers to his bulge and instinctively she rubbed him up and down. The void his manhood left was replaced with his fingers, that were nailed hard in search for some spot to rub on her walls.

"Adam…" She moaned and he knew that he had found it. "Don't stop." She pleaded.

Once he had the area localized, he kept rubbing and applying pressure but slowing down his fingers' thrusts. She searched for his mouth and took the initiative to kiss him. For once, he gave her the control and let her take the lead with the kisses. Blake enjoyed the sensation to be in charge, it must be what he felt everyday in his classes. It was truly great. So, having the will to do anything, she did as he did with her before and tightened her fist around his red spikes, roughly pulling him upwards to deep the access to his mouth's interior. He broke the kiss when he seemed to run out of air. Both stared at each other for a few seconds before they met again and again. Each time the kisses turned wilder. Without blinking, he entered her once more, this time willing to finish and not exit until doing so both of them.

Mr. Taurus nailed his hands on Blake's buttock as he leaned forward to embrace and caress his body. This time he didn't hold back and neither did she with her noisy expressions, telling him how much she liked what he did to her. He felt himself charging his load and nothing would stop him. So to try to coordinate their bodies, he returned placing his fingers on her cherry and roughly rubbed it with his tips.

"Come for me, baby girl." He ordered, speeding up his thrusts for a final sprint.

And Blake, as a good student she was, obliged. As much as she tried to fight it, his order was enough to send her over the edge. She moaned out loud, his name cut on her mouth as he felt how her insides were compressed around his length, arousing him just the necessary. As she spasmed around him, he gave in the last throws and set himself free, tightening her buttocks as she did with his back.

"Good girl." He praised as he cummed, pressing her head against his chest so she could rest after the intense lovemaking.

They stayed like that for a minute: she rested her head between his arms and he leaned his chin on her scalp, both breathing rapidly, sweating, getting down after the intense climax. He slowly exited her and threw the used condom in the trash can under the table. Belladonna sat on the table, flexing her legs before her body to cover herself. For her luck, Mr. Taurus was satisfied and didn't have the need to tease her about the shyness involving her body. As soon as he put his underwear and pants back on, he lent the cat faunus her clothes that had been thrown at the floor. They got dressed in silence, being a hard contrast with the previous loud moans that could be heard in his office. Finally, he also lent Blake her shoes so she didn't have to get down the table.

"Will you keep my number?" He asked her, staring at the forgotten phone that laid over the table.

"If you want me to." She replied. "Do you really think it will be useful?" After all the passion now Blake was suffering some kind of breakdown, it was one of the symptoms of the sadness she felt for now having to finally say goodbye to Adam.

"Of course it will be. Maybe I'll return for another substitution to the island. Or even for a stable job as teacher." He told her, now returning to his work and closing the boxes with his office things.

"It's a possibility then." Belladonna concluded in a sad tone.

Taurus noticed the sad look in her eyes and approached her. She was fully dressed now and ready to leave, her bag in hand. To comfort her, he showed some affection by plucking a lock of her hair behind her human ear and finally ended embracing her. The cat faunus felt his warmth once more. She loved the sensations she felt while being in his arms and it would be hard for her not to fantasize about it whenever she felt lonely. The bull faunus kissed her sweaty forehead and then made her stare up at his icy blue eyes.

"If I return to Menagerie I promise you that we'll have the date you wanted." He sentenced and that made the cat faunus eyes spark with hope. "So don't erase my phone number so we can keep in touch." He added.

"I see." She agreed with a nod. Then he stepped backward and finished packing up his things. She even helped him by sealing the carton boxes. "Do you think you'll return anytime soon?" She asked him.

"There's no way I can know." He replied and then stared at her. She was making the face of a little girl who was scared of being forgotten. "So live your life and don't wait for me, forget me if you can. If one day I return you'll be glad. If you keep missing me, however, you'll continue being saddened by my absence."

"It's so obvious that you're a philosophy teacher." She joked to take out some tension of the moment. He slightly laughed but he couldn't fully appreciate her joke because deep down he was also sad to have to leave. He had found her and also felt all the comfort and fullness between her arms that she did with him. It was destiny that separated them, maybe it was for their own good, he thought in his head.

Once he had everything ready and packed, there was nothing holding him back. he had to get to the docks to the ship that would bring him to Mistral. However, the sight of his favorite student gawking at him was making the farewell too long and hard. She ran to his arms when he made the slight gesture for her to approach and say goodbye. After a long hug, she looked up at him and closed her eyes, lips pumped, waiting for a kiss. Adam gave her the pleasure and gave a peck at her rosy lips as a farewell. Nevertheless, she denied letting go of him yet.

"I wish I could tell you 'see you soon'." Belladonna said, the uncertainess of his return tormenting her and he wasn't even already gone.

"I wish I could tell you 'I love you'." He replied, making her blush. "But I won't, and we won't text each other unless there's the possibility to see each other, understood?"

"This way we won't get hurt and if we don't meet again we will be able to forget each other." Belladonna added, she had understood his words and wasn't offended by any of it. It was healthy that if he at least liked her wished her the best in her future life without him.

They walked side to side until they exited the campus, not caring about other staff of the university seeing them. She helped him carry the spare boxes until they reached the entrance of the docks. Once there, she lent him his things and tried not to look down as she felt that in any moment her tears could fall to the ground.

This time, he didn't hug or kiss her anymore. He realized that with the ship in sight it would be harder for them to part ways. Both looked at the ship that had Mistral as destination and then stared at each other. Blake let out a cut sigh by the hardness of the moment.

"Go home and don't turn back." He advised her, letting go of her palm. Their hands had been locked for all the way and none of them hadn't noticed.

He walked backward and then was forced to turn around to enter the dock area. The cat faunus did as he told her, turning too and refusing to look back at him nor the ship, walking back home. However, none of everything he had told her prevented her tears to fall. Maybe he was right after all, in a few months she wouldn't remember him anymore and maybe, one day, she would receive an unknown message to meet again.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Thank you a lot as always, friend. I can always count on your reviews and that's very appreciated.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** "Stuck in a motel room" victim and kidnapper vibes you say? I have something very similar to what you've descrived that will be out soon. Look forward to it! As for the teacher x student AUs I'm open for this shit, I loved writing this one as you can see because as soon as you posted the review I took the idea so if you have more ideas for student x teacher AUs send me some and I'll work on them. This one turned out sad and lemmony, but maybe I could do others focused on more topics. Thank you for the great ideas.

 **lilkolil:** I'll be working in part II once I get done this year's Halloween's special drabble. I'll make sure to not take too long, but in drabbles with psycological themes I prefer to be cautios and write carefully about it. Glad you enjoyed Part I.

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** Option #1 here you go! Thank you a lot for the compliments, they help greatly with inspiration. In fact, I didn't expect to receive that much support from everybody and that made that after two years this Drabble collection is still active despite Adam and tauradonna fandoms being abandoned at this point of the show. I'll work harder in the second part of Partnership Sacrifices to accomplish the same character development I made in Blake but this time with Adam. Thank you a lot again. Take care.

 **Princess-Sera:** Today I've made my driver license exam and I'm waiting for the results, I will announce if I have passed it. Did you like this Option #1? It was about time to publish some lemmony stuff. I missed writing it.

 **A/N:** Next week I'll publish Option #2 "Love Blossom" that will be intense as well featuring a very jealous cat faunus and a confused stubborn bull.

Frozenheart7


	43. Love blossom

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Love blossom

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** As spring arrived, love grew inside the headquarter of the Vale branch. However, what could have been a romantic season full of loves becomes a nightmare when Sienna, the High Leader of the White Fang, stays in the branch with Adam to 'inspect' his job as leader. Being the tiger faunus on her way, Blake will have it difficult to earn Taurus' love, and even more when Sienna shows his true intentions.

* * *

It was when the week was over and with it their training season that he told her he wanted to bring her somewhere special. The pupil followed her mentor with loyalty, trusting completely his intentions, not making a question about it since she thought that was a strange behavior on him. Inside Blake, a small spark of hope got lit, maybe it was the day where finally something could happen between them.

Nobody could blame her for having illusions and phantasies. The Forever Fall forest was the perfect romantic ambiance and Spring had bloomed, making the nature shine brightly and the females look more attractive, a basic system of the wildness to ensure the species' survivance. It was the perfect season to fall in love and develop feelings, even Adam looked more strong and fascinating than the past spring, when she arrived at the Vale branch to initiate her training. They had been training shoulder by shoulder for a year now and Blake expected that he felt the same for her as she felt for him.

The sound of a running river made her cat ears lift to try and identify the direction of the source. Curiously, Adam had been leading the way to that same spot. She didn't have to wait long to figure out where he was bringing her. He stopped his tracks at the bank of that river. Not too far, there was a waterfall that made the water run down to the spot where they had arrived.

"Are you going to stay here all day or will you join me and have a bath?" Taurus suddenly asked, startling Blake as he took off his shirt.

"What? You mean, right now?! A bath…" The cat faunus couldn't think straight as he got undressed, with only his underwear to cover the necessary.

"Belladonna, I brought you here for a reason." He pointed the evident and without saying much jumped in the water, Blake using her semblance to not be splashed by the cold drops.

The cat faunus left her backpack and weapon on the grass, near the trunk of one of the trees. She had to undress as well as nobody had told her that the training season would end with a bath.

"Which underwear am I wearing today?" She thought for herself, trying to remember, but when she gets up it's too hard for her to even be conscious of what she does because of her sleepiness. The fingertips grabbed her vest and unbuttoned it, starting to undress. "Please, don't be the childish lingerie my mother gifted me for my thirteenth birthday, please don't let it be it…" She prayed in silence, like an ancient chant.

Destiny was fatale. She had an unique opportunity to impress her romantic interest and her underwear was white with small roses with faces smiling. No, she couldn't have chosen the sexy lace lingerie pack she bought with Ilia one day, instead she was wearing that ridiculous underwear.

"Damn." Blake cursed in a low voice. She had to make due and enter the water as soon as possible to prevent for the bull faunus to see her childish underwear.

"Belladonna, I've seen faster ones…" He called her form the water, a sign that he had already seen her.

Well, at least she had a good body. Yes, it was embarrassing to be so exposed and more in those conditions but at least she had nothing bad to say about herself. The training had helped her keep fit and strong. The same applied to Adam, who was just brushing the water off his red hair and showing off his muscles. The cat girl snapped of the hipnosis his body was submitting her and tied her hair in a high ponytail and tangled her hair to position it in a high bun so her hair wouldn't touch the water.

She silently approached the river bank and tested the temperature of the water with the tip of her toe. It was frozen and the weather wasn't that warm to actually need a so refreshing bath. However, Blake wanted to get rid of the sweat after the training. Before taking conscience of the coldness of the water, she gave a look around. Adam was nowhere to be found. Where did he go? Was he underwater?

"Adam?" Blake called him, examining the crystallized waters with caution.

As she turned to see behind her, his firm hand got placed on her lower back. She was pushed against his wet skin that despite the coldness of the water was burning hot. At that moment with just smelling his scent and feeling his touch Blake knew that he was also affected by the enchantment of spring.

"Stop fooling around." He sentenced.

In just a fraction of a second, her feet were lifted from the floor as she was dragged with him to the still waters of the river. The cat faunus let out a small yell that was suddenly silenced by the splash of their bodies impacting with the crystal superficie. Her hands reached for the outside as she impulsed herself out of underwater.

When she got out, faced a very amused bull faunus who moved her wet hair out of her face so their eyes could meet.

"So it's true." He commented while smirking. "Cats don't like water."

"What's wrong with you?!" Blake made her best to try and sound offended but a laugh contaminated her last words. She almost couldn't recognise his cold and distant personality, but in fact loved that sudden proximity and trust between them.

The time flew by quickly. It wasn't until the sun was setting that both abandoned the crystal waters of the river. Once back on the land, the cat faunus observed her dumped clothes and realized that she had nothing to dry herself before putting them on. When she most needed something, Taurus was there to provide it. A warm towel got wrapped around her and his strong hands dried her carefully. He had already thought of bringing her there, if that wasn't the case, why would he even carry a towel in his backpack?

"I need to tell you something." He suddenly said, Blake's heart skipped a beat as she lifted her head to look at him in the eyes. Could it be that now it was the moment to-...?

Belladonna unconsciously held the towel tighter around her body as she waited for his words. She couldn't believe everything was escalating so quickly, she wasn't prepared at all but not for that she would reject anything happening between mentor and pupil. The bull faunus admired the spark of hope inside his pupil's amber eyes as he meditated his words.

"I'm concerned because I have to take full responsibility of the branch here in Vale and I have to tell you that-..."

"I feel the same way!" Belladonna yelled, the expected words in her head silencing the actual ones that Taurus said. Only his face warned her about saying something out of place.

"...what?" The bull faunus was confused about his pupil's behavior. Did she have fever?

"What?" Blake repeated, trying to find something to fix the situation a fast as possible. "You are a great leader and you shouldn't worry about whatever troubles you…"

Blake's mentor smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder as a sign of gratitude for her words. But if he wasn't confessing his supposed feelings for her, what was he trying to tell her?

"Next week we won't train." Taurus resumed. "Sienna is coming to the branch to inspect my work as leader and I'll have to spend my time with her."

Belladonna's blush disappeared all of a sudden. He knew Sienna and she didn't trust her at all. Firstly, because she was the responsible of her father stepping down as leader and she took his place forcefully. Secondly, because of her personality and her charms. Did Adam say he had to spend a whole week by her side?!

"I understand." The cat faunus replied to make sure that she had heard his words.

"That doesn't mean you're allowed to skip training." His firm tone returned to his voice, Blake understood that the fun time had ended.

"I know." This time her sadness was reflected on her words.

The couple stated at each other for a while. Taurus read the disappointment on his pupil's face and Blake tried to see beyond his eyes and wondered if he really could feel something more for her.

"Get dressed and move." He suddenly ordered, making a few steps back. He was already dressed as he had the towel first. "I have to get going."

"Alright…" It was almost a whisper as she watched him carry his weapons and his backpack.

"Oh, and don't worry about the towel. You can keep it."

The cat faunus stared at the towel that dried her. It wasn't even his it was just a White Fang towel that could be found in every shower of the headquarter. What would she do this whole week alone?

* * *

"Are you going to stay in here all week and keep moping?" Ilia asked to her friend, who was totally covered by the bedsheets.

"Adam won't even check on me. He won't know if I don't train." Blake replied from under the blankets of her bottom bed bunk.

The chameleon faunus uncovered her faunus friend, forcing her to get ready for the day. Ilia also knew how it was to go through a non-corresponded crush, although Blake had never been rejected by Adam, but that wasn't a reason to be depressed and moody like Belladonna was feeling.

"For that reason you're going to get out there and be active so he can notice you, being Sienna with him or not." Amitola convinced Blake, who leaned forward and sat on the bed, rubbing her eyes, still asleep.

Ilia moved to the closet and searched around for something. Blake meanwhile went to the bathroom and took a quick corporal shower. After that she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. Once she got outside the bedroom found Ilia in her usual training gear. She turned and showed her best friend an outfit she had chosen for her.

"Ilia, this is very tight…" Belladonna noticed, holding a similar one piece suit than the one Ilia wore but with short sleeves and long legs. Blake had worn that a few times and only in missions in which had to be very discreet and quick. However, it wouldn't look strange while training. She would just catch the attention of the other faunus and attract some glances. Of course, an outfit like that was unusual on her that was used to wear loose clothes during her training seasons with Adam.

"Make Sienna remember the Belladonna's charms." Amitola insisted.

"Belladonna's charms?" Blake laughed. "Look, that my mother is attractive despite her age doesn't make me charming as well."

"How do you know? Have you asked some male around, huh?" The chameleon faunus replied, using the word male as much as it hurt her, who wished Blake also liked faunus of her same sex.

"N-no, but…" Belladonna hesitated and stared at her friend. "Well, okay! Let's put this thing on." She sighed and struggled with the zippers and belts of the outfit until she figured out how it suited best her developing curves.

* * *

The two friends got to the common dining room of the headquarter. It was early so most faunus were still getting ready for the day: taking a shower, getting dressed… It was good to be the first ones there because they assured they favorite food wasn't over. Blake also thanked silently the lack of members there because of her looks. In a mission it was different, they were working. But there in a normal day she felt out of place wearing the dark jumpsuit so tight around her body. It suited her, she couldn't complain, but she wasn't used to dress that way and she felt awkward.

"I'll go with pancakes today." Ilia said cheerfully and one of the weekly voluntaries that took care of the kitchen served her a dish with maple syrup. "What will you have, Blake?"

However, the answer never came as Belladonna was busy watching how Sienna and Adam entered the room, side by side. He made her sat and wait on their usual table, occupying Blake's spot where she would sit, in front of Adam. The bull faunus served her some coffee and then moved next to the expositor where Blake and Ilia were standing to choose their breakfast.

Blake was hypnotized staring at Adam while he stood a few centimeters away from her and observing what was for breakfast that day. He gave a quick glance to the dish full of pancakes and then stared at his pupil.

"Eat something more healthy, Belladonna." Taurus advised, almost ordered.

"Good morning to you too, Adam." The cat faunus replied at the edge of being pissed off due to his recommendations and his behavior with Sienna. She also craved pancakes but had to make an effort. "I'll take a sandwich, please."

Blake expected some sort of approvement from her mentor but Adam didn't say anything. He didn't even take a look at her body. Ilia facepalmed in silence while seeing her friend's desperation in front of the panorama of the week.

"Today we'll have the table for ourselves. We need to talk calmly. Do you mind?" Taurus said, literally shutting Blake and Ilia off their usual table with words.

"Don't worry about that." The cat faunus could only reply and gave a glance to Amitola who understood the message and excused herself saying she would go and search for some coffee for both of them. Now that they were alone, Blake breathed in. "I'll miss you, you know?"

Those words surprised the bull faunus. "It's only a week, Blake. You'll really miss my yells telling you to train harder?" He joked to alleviate the tension of the moment.

"No. That certainly not. You're not just my annoying mentor. I referred to other things." Blake dropped a subtle hint to the bull faunus, whose curiosity increased.

"Which other things could you be thinking about?" Adam pushed her to speak further, he really seemed interested now. But Belladonna wasn't capable to confess her feelings and less with the busy week he was having. She would just drop subtle hints.

"I-..." But Belladonna had to stop when she saw the feminine silhouette of the tiger faunus standing behind Adam and advancing next to him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, isn't it little Belladonna?" Sienna Khan mocked, the rivalry between her and her family would never disappear. "You've certainly grown, you resemble your mother even more now."

"I told you!" Ilia said from a spot not too far from the three faunus were standing. Blake pretended as if she hadn't heard her chameleon friend and got focused on Khan who was examining her whole body with small discretion.

"Sienna, good morning." Blake thought about something nice to say but nothing came to her mind. Instead, her eyes traveled to the window, to awkward to keep staring at how she examined her appearance. "Today is very sunny out there. Perfect for jogging." Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"Maybe you should keep going, Belladonna." Adam suddenly said, his expression more severe. "Jogging sounds perfect for a cardio routine today." He instructed, his tone was inviting her to leave so he and Khan could be alone.

Blake couldn't hide her hurt expression. Sienna smiles and placed her hand on his shoulder, her sharp fingers tangling around his bones. Ilia even from the distance saw the tense situation so she went to grab her friend's hand so they could leave and let them be. Once the cat faunus felt Amitola's hand grabbing hers, she nodded to Adam and left without saying nothing else. The two faunus girls sat far away from their usual spot where Sienna and Taurus where talking. Ilia ate but Blake's appetite had flown away due to the disappointment. Her charms hadn't worked, the tight jumpsuit neither…

"I can't believe he has shut you out that way. Everything was going fine!" The chameleon faunus commented, trying to show her friend some comprehension.

"It's always like this. Everything seems to go the right way until I lose him somehow…" Belladonna couldn't understand how to win his heart for once.

"Cheer up, Blake. Pretend as if it doesn't affect you." Ilia said, knowing it would be hard but necessary. "Come with me and Banesaw to train, you'll see we'll have fun." She proposed.

* * *

Banesaw was the lieutenant of the Vale branch and Ilia's mentor. He seemed rude, with tattoos and his more than intimidating weapon, a heavy chainsaw. However, now that Blake had joined his training, she saw that he wasn't as rude as she thought. With reason Ilia said that she was fine training with him.

"Still breathing, Belladonna?" Banesaw mocked as she had finished her crunches. Ilia was still on it.

"This is nothing compared to Adam's sessions." The cat faunus replied back.

The gym wasn't very full despite the number of members that cohabitate in the building of the Vale branch. During the warmer months of the year most of them went to train to the Forever Fall forest as Blake and Adam but Banesaw preferred to stay in with Ilia to not have distractions or Grimm that could stop the training session. Belladonna did miss the nature outside the headquarter but for that week training with her best friend and her mentor wasn't so bad.

"Adam's busy with Khan so he has left you alone…" Banesaw commented for himself and took a quick look at Belladonna behind his mask. "If you were my trainee I wouldn't take my eyes off you."

Blake caught the intentions of the trainer and stayed quiet, although the surprise could be noticed on her face. However, she didn't blush, Adam was the only one that had the capacity to make her feel embarrassed and flattered with his words. Surely it was the jumpsuit making its magic. When Ilia heard her mentor's words, got up from the floor where she was finishing her rounds of exercises and approached with an indignated expression.

"That's was so out of place!" She said, panting.

"I'm not her mentor so I'm allowed to say so." Banesaw replied.

"Speaking of the devil…" Amitola suddenly muttered.

Banesaw, Blake and Ilia stared in the direction of the main door. Adam and Sienna came in. He seemed very enthusiastic while speaking and showing the high leader their installations. Immediately, Blake and Ilia pretended that they were still working out under the lieutenant's orders. That way they helped Taurus, proving that the headquarter functioned well without his presence on the daily labours. Sienna checked the indumentary and machines that the gym disposed of and made questions from time to time. When the revision was finished, they whispered something and then paced towards the group of faunus. Blake kept warming up with exercises to increase her flexibility, she wasn't in the mood to talk to Sienna nor Adam. Ilia followed her game too, only Banesaw turned to salute the leaders.

"Banesaw is one of the best coaches of the branch." Adam said to introduce him, they were friends so there was trust between them. "Leader Khan was curious about how the trainer-trainee relationships work."

Belladonna had never heard Taurus talk so much. Not only that but even his voice tone was different, not too monotone. She kept doing her own things, making basic stretching. Ilia was the only possible involved in that question, after all, Banesaw was her mentor and Blake had no relationship at all.

"Well, every coach works what considers appropriate and needed for its trainee." Banesaw explained, something not new to the high leader of the White Fang. "Today Belladonna is with me extraordinarily, she has proved herself valid. Sir Taurus you are lucky to have her as pupil."

Blake couldn't believe what her four ears were hearing. Only then she raised her glance and gabe Banesaw a smirk. He wasn't praising Adam as mentor, he was directly praising her for her hard work and effort as his pupil. He could have only said that because he had noticed her interest on Adam. If not that information was useless. There had to be an occult intention to that.

Before Taurus could reply, Sienna cleared her throat and spoke: "I've seen enough of the theoretical methods for now." She sentenced, piercing Blake with her golden glance. "Let's move to your office and we'll comment the practical part."

The cat faunus froze as she saw how Taurus nodded and they left the gym installations together. Ilia shared a quick glance with her and then stared at Banesaw. That sentence seemed to have some serious double meaning hidden.

"We need to go to the bathroom." Amitola said, grabbing Blake's hand and pulling her up. "Together."

Even though the bathroom was on the opposite direction, the two friends were disposed to follow Sienna and Adam's steps. And they didn't care if it was too obvious.

"Ladies, don't get in trouble, please." Banesaw warned, seeing their intentions beforehand.

Ilia at first had to drag her cat faunus friend behind her, but the curiosity took control of Blake's mind and she ended going as quick as her. They followed the sound of their voices, Belladonna's hearing warning them about the distance between them. Sienna had another pair of ears too so they had to be careful to not be spotted. Luckily, stealth was Blake's speciality and Ilia had her camouflage.

It wasn't until the door of Adam's office got closed that the two faunus crossed the hallway. They leaned their bodies on the wall next to the translucent crystal door to hear the conversation. For more precise hearing, Belladonna left her black bow untied next to her figure. Without the cloth she wouldn't miss a detail.

"You have everything under control here." Sienna gave Adam her approval. "Have you ever thought of having a bigger role inside the brotherhood?"

Khan's voice had a seductive tone that reflected her intentions with the bull faunus. Blake and Ilia stared at each other, very suspicious about the tiger faunus' intentions.

"Is there any higher rank than leader of the branch?" Ilia whispered to the cat faunus.

"Yes, in the High Leader's council." Blake replied and realized all of a sudden Khan's insinuations and its meanings. He wanted Taurus for herself in Mistral, under her orders, by her side. She really wanted to steal him from her.

"I don't know if I'd be ready, High Leader." Taurus replied politely, his voice not sounding too excited. By his sound, Blake could guess he was containing his true emotions, as he always did.

"You've been preparing for this, for a place beside my throne." Sienna continued. "Oh, come on, don't tell me that you don't ache for more power? Don't you wish to be my potential successor?"

"This woman is playing with his masculine ego!" Ilia exclaimed, almost offended, hearing her dirty games.

Mixing pleasure and business wasn't a great decision and Belladonna prayed for Adam to keep his head cold. However, her own head was burning. She couldn't stop imagining Sienna slowly untying the layers of red cloth that suited the tiger stripes on her brown skin. And with that, Adam falling on his knees and giving himself into the warmth of an adult faunus female.

And given the sounds coming out of the office, Taurus was struggling with himself. Could he be considering the idea?

"Look at me, Adam." Khan insisted. "Don't you see yourself capable of a better charge? Show me that I made a good decision to teach you everything about fighting in the Fang."

Belladonna couldn't resist the temptation. She got out of her hideout and looked through the translucent crystal of the office's door. She caught the glimpse of their bodies, very close to each other. Sienna's proximity was trying to manipulate Taurus' answer to all of her proposals. She didn't want to see, she couldn't hear what he was about to reply…

"I can't keep spying on them, Ilia…" Belladonna realized that it made her heart hurt more than not knowing anything that was going on between the leaders. She got on her feet and with the impulse of her semblance got out of sight.

"Blake, wait!" Amitola exclaimed, loud enough to create silence inside the office. They had heard her.

When the chameleon faunus looked at the distance saw the quick shadows of Blake's silhouette disappearing behind the corner. Ilia heard how the door of the office was about to be opened so she used her camouflage and slowly slid into the shadows behind one of the chairs in the waiting room right in front of the office. Her stealthy eyes saw Sienna looking around, both sides of the hallway, trying to detect an intruder. Without any success, the tiger faunus returned inside Adam's office. But then, Taurus got out and stared down at the floor where Blake had left something forgotten: her black bow.

"Oh, damn… Blake is going to be in trouble." Ilia muttered for herself, seeing how Adam kneeled and smelled the black thin cloth, confirming it belonged to his the afternoon she found herself outside the leader's dorm, staring at the door, having an intense dilemma: Should she knock or not?

* * *

Black sighed and paced around the hallway some more, in circles, thinking endlessly. She felt stupid, silly for making herself be so weak, for being her happiness dependant of Adam's attention on her. Her head hurt after so many hours thinking about him and Sienna and the White Fang… thinking about everything in general. However, the ache on her head was nothing compared with the pressure on her chest that made her heart tighten painfully. Nothing could make it disappear or at least she had that sensation. She couldn't wait a week until Khan left the headquarters of their branch, she needed answers in that instant or she would drift herself crazy.

Nevertheless, when her fist got closed and approached the wood of Taurus' dorm, she needed to stop. She couldn't knock, she was paralyzed and was scared about the answers she could find inside. What if Adam did care about Sienna more than her? She would need to learn to accept his answer and feelings but Belladonna didn't feel ready. Not yet.

The cat faunus sighed and her cat ears fell to both sides of her head. She couldn't have the right to invade Taurus privacy. He had the right to love, be attracted to or care about whoever he wanted. Blake reached the conclusion that she was being very selfish by wanting her mentor by herself. She was ashamed of her own behavior.

"Belladonna." His voice crawled through her spine. She froze, trapped in her own thoughts she hadn't realized him exiting the elevator on that floor. "What are you doing here?"

However, when her amber eyes decided to move upwards to face him, she saw that Adam wasn't alone. Beside him, there was High Leader Khan too. Blake was getting in their way as she was standing in front of Adam's dorm. What were they going to do in his quarters-...? It wasn't obviously related with job or work...

"N-nothing." Belladonna said in a small tone, trembling. Her eyes were crystallizing so she tried to walk away, avoiding any eye contact.

"Sienna, yo go on ahead. Let me have a minute with Blake." She heard Taurus say as he tossed her the keys of his dorm. He saw how his student started to walk away and hurried. "Wait, Belladonna."

The cat faunus tried to reach the stairs to escape from the situation. However, her mentor reached for her and achieved to get a grip on her arm, preventing her from leaving. She rejected his touch but he kept holding her arm, forcing her to face him. Finally, little Belladonna had to turn, though her head was low, and face her mentor.

"What's wrong? Tell me immediately." He shook her a little violently, demanding an answer at the moment. Both heard the tiger faunus entering his room, they were alone at last. Blake shook her head and tried to make a step backward but he didn't let go of her. He wouldn't until she spoke her mind to him.

"A minute? That's all the time you have for me in a whole day now?" Those words were the only thing that Blake could say from the mess in her heart and head. Her voice sounded weak and her jaw was trembling due to the tension of the instanct.

Adam's answer didn't came soon. He thought well his words and even despite so, he failed in his election and made the situation even worse.

"Are you jealous? Is that everything?" He spat out, shocking the cat faunus.

Her fast hand slapped him, leaving in shock both of them. Blake's hand immediately traveled to her mouth, covering her surprise due to the unconsciousness of her actions. She couldn't allow her feelings to get involved, her emotions to control her but being near Taurus was the thing that made her lose control.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered before she breaking.

It was the only solution. Before the bull faunus could say something or react to her slap, Blake had already disappear downstairs, running and escaping from his sight.

During her escape, Belladonna damned herself. She was guilty for feeling how she felt, for being selfish and jealous… She couldn't stand hearing it from his mouth, it only reminded her of how selfish she was being. And Adam knew was the worst part of it.

She dried her tears to not drag any unnecessary attention on her way back to her dorm and sneakily reached her destiny. However, when she was about to lay in bed and try to forget everything, realized that her chameleon friend was in there as well.

"Blake, I think you might be in trouble." Ilia warned, instanctly noticing that her friend's expression was already sad. "Am I too late? What happened?" She corrected.

Belladonna shook her head and sighed out loud, massaging both sides of her head. She was still burning due to the tension of the past moments. Her yellow eyed met her friend's. She was the only one that could give her good advice after the tremendous mistake she had done before.

"I went to Adam's room. He was already with Sienna..." The cat faunus explained, trying to contain every emotion. "I wanted to have a moment with Adam and when we finally did, he asked me if I was jealous and I couldn't hold myself anymore..."

"What did you do?" Amitola asked, separating each word with certain emphasis, expecting the worse.

"I- I slapped him. And then I ran." Blake concluded, accepting with the help of that explanation the fact that what she had done in the past couldn't be changed anymore. But could there be some way to fix it?

"Gods, Blake..." Ilia sighed as her feline friend sat on the single bed, defeated. She mimicked her and sat beside her, caressing soothingly her shoulder.

Belladonna leaned in her friend and searched solace in her caresses. She had screwed everything up and she didn't know what Adam could have felt after her slap as his face is always so cold. Of course he would be angry. And what would he do now in the loneliness of his room with Sienna? She already knew the answer to this question too but avoided to think the obvious answer.

"I won't leave this room during this week." Blake sentenced.

"It will be the best." Ilia approved her friend's decision. "And once Sienna has left you'll have plenty of time to fix everything with Adam."

* * *

The first day being locked up, Blake realized she needed to exit her room for one thing or another: eat, train, shower, socialize and not drive herself crazy among all that solitude. Shame still ran through her veins and all the regret she felt didn't allow her to sleep peacefully. She needed to at least go out and have a walk to clear her mind. Even books didn't alleviate her agitated feelings.

So, as only resource to make an attempt to feel better, the cat faunus opened the door of her room to sneak out of her hideout. She looked at both sides of the hallway, making sure Adam was nowhere to be found and when she was sure that nobody could spot them, quickly ran downstairs. She couldn't meet her mentor until Sienna left even though each hour that passed it pained her more her mistakes. However, she needed to be calmed and alone completely with Adam to try and make him forgive her for everything. Khan's presence on the branch creeped the cat faunus out. Since the announcement of her arrival everything went to worse.

Suddenly, Blake's skin started to tingle as she walked among the solitude of the corridors. However, she didn't notice her instincts activating because the change had been gradual. A few meters further, the cat faunus met the reason of her faunus senses triggering.

The tiger faunus turned around the corner to almost stumble upon Blake, who was left frozen on the hallway when spotted her. Sienna's eyes met Blake's and a mischievous smile was drawn on her face. Blake didn't have a good feeling about this.

"Don't disturb your mentor tonight, Belladonna. He's meditating about a very important decision." Khan warned, the subliminal message being too strong for Blake not to want to know anything about it.

"What do you mean with that, Sienna?" Blake asked very cautious.

"I offered him a spot on my council in Mistral." The tiger faunus said, examining Blake's expression while hearing so. "If I were you I'd look for another mentor around here. In my opinion, Adam doesn't belong here training soldiers of the Fang."

Belladonna connected some pieces. That opportunity, the spot on the High leader's council was what they were talking about the other day when Blake and Ilia decided to go and spy on them outside the office. So Sienna finally had proposed him directly to follow her so he could be closer to the throne.

"And where does he belong to? With you?" The cat faunus asked, her cat ears perked up as a sign that she was irritated by the other female's presence.

"You said it for yourself." Khan purred, standing proud. "It's easy to guess, why would he even stay in here after what you did yesterday?" She spat out.

Blake's blood froze as she stepped back. She felt cornered but knew that she couldn't run, not this time and less with the enemy in front of her. She needed to accept that what she did was wrong, an unfortunate decision she made when adrenaline hit her heart. However, no she had to keep her head cool or she could commit another poor decision again.

"That's not your business. It's our personal life." The cat faunus answered, ignoring the tiger faunus' provocations. Why was she doing that? Was it a product of her jealousy towards her father? Due to her spite towards the Belladonna or just because of her superiority complex?

"If that's not my business then why would he tell me? Maybe he considers me as a good friend. Doesn't he tell you his personal stuff too?"

"Not all the faunus on the Fang are your pawns, Sienna." Blake spat a sincere truth that seemed to affect Sienna judging by the smile that slowly faded.

"We'll see it when he takes his decision." She concluded.

Belladonna stood frozen until the tiger faunus disappeared between the hallways. She had managed to not lose her nerves over the High Leader's provocations. However, Sienna did manage to place doubt in her heart. Adam had a decision to take that would indirectly speak about his priorities. Would he chose to stay in the Vale branch and as a consequence of it stay with her pupil? Or would he prefer having a more important role, money and prestige by moving to Mistral beside Sienna to be in the High Leader's council?

Yes, Belladonna had managed to avoid her provocations but now uncertainness tortured her. She meant not much for Taurus, only somebody silly wouldn't accept the offer to be in the high-ranks of the White Fang. However, Blake was nobody to go to his room, especially after what happened, and demand him to not leave with Sienna. She would have to wait until Khan's exit, then she would know one way or another if Adam decided to leave with her too.

And until then, she wouldn't let him see her. It was the only way that he could choose sincerely and Blake could get the answer she had been searching for.

* * *

That morning, when sun had awoken a new day, Blake already had her eyes open. In fact she didn't close them in all night. It wasn't until a few hours after, when the sound of the helicopter echoed, that the cat faunus allowed herself to relax. Sienna was gone. Finally. But did she part alone or with Adam?

Ignoring all odds and the irony on the saying 'curiosity killed the cat', Belladonna couldn't resist and by midday left her room to Adam's encounter. She met the cold superficie of his door like the last time. However, she hoped that he could forgive her if he was still present on the headquarter. She wouldn't let her emotions take control over her actions, she repeated once more inside her head before closing her fiat and knocking.

Those seconds of silence were the longest ones of her life. But when the door got open, she let out a sigh that expressed her relief. Taurus, who wasn't combed nor dressed his usual attire yet, stared at his pupil with surprise. She seemed tired and was slightly shaking. Seeing her in that state, he could only open her arms to her.

Blake ran towards his warmth, forgetting about the promise she had made herself seconds ago. His arms clutched her, brushing with his fingers her raven mane. Only once she assumed that he was still there, Belladonna dared to look up and face him.

"Are you going to leave?" Blake asked, with her words ripping off the anxiety on her chest.

"Nothing Sienna can give me is worth what I'd be losing if I left." He sentenced and made the cat faunus focus once again on their mutual embrace. "Besides, here I'm my own boss." He said, leaning down on her cat ears.

Blake laughed and immediately felt relieved. Adam didn't let go of her, and as time passed, Blake got more and more relaxed in his arms. Eventually, they walked to the bed to sit down. The cat faunus let her mentor guide her steps and moved her body against his as they laid on the couch. Her heart started to beat faster. They were cuddling in bed, as if they were a couple. At first the sensation was overwhelming but with some time she started to relax. It was his scent and his comforting warmth that made her enter a light sleep that started to turn deeper with each second that passed.

The next time she opened her eyes, Adam was gone. His warmth and scent, however, were still embracing her. When she managed to focus her sight found his jacket over her, protecting her from the coldness of the room. She leaned forward on the bed and found his figure sitting in front of the desk. She cleared her throat to make him notice her consciousness. Nevertheless, he was so immersed on the paperwork that he didn't notice her waking up. So, slowly, the cat faunus got up from his bed and walked towards the chair he was sitting in. She put her hands on his shoulders and with the tips of her fingers started to massage his back.

"The sleeping beauty has finally rosen." He purred, enjoying her massage as his back hurt whenever he spent much time sitting doing paperwork. She knew it.

Blake continued the massage, her hands slowly sliding up from his back to his jawline. Then her fingertip traced his cheek, the side she had slapped… To erase her actions, she placed her lips on his skin. Luckily, Taurus would consider the kiss a better apology than her trembling words.

Taurus' hands immediately stopped. He faced Blake once she cut the kiss on his cheek. She was terribly blushed. He confirmed his suspects with that unconscious sign of her feelings.

So, without thinking it twice, the bull faunus trapped Belladonna from the waist, pulling her to make her sit on his lap. She didn't even have time to assimilate what was happening. When she realized it, his lips were already on hers. The kiss was slow and deep, giving her time to get used to the feeling and reciprocate his affection. She sneaked her fingers under his mask, caressing his hidden skin and opened her mouth for him to deepen the kiss.

They had to stop soon as they ran out of air. Blake faced him as he retired the mask of his face.

"Blake, look at me in the eye and tell me the truth." He demanded out of nowhere.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't we be talking about what just happ-...?" She started but his finger was placed on her lips to shut her up.

"Were you jealous of Sienna?" He asked.

It was the perfect opportunity to mend her mistake. This way, telling Adam what she felt that week, would be the best way to make it up to him after her impulsive slap.

"How couldn't I be?" She asked out loud. "I felt as if she was stealing you from me. Her presence around you made me feel small, insecure, not enough for you. I-..." Belladonna was speechless, after releasing everything that had tormented her those last seven days she felt much better. The confession seemed to satisfy Adam, who held tighter her waist.

"I want all those negative thoughts gone, understood?" He sentenced, his fingers playing with the tips of her hair. "You are mine, and I won't allow you to feel inferior to another woman."

The regret on her face was clear, so he embraced her, pressing her form against his chest. It was a way to comfort her that never failed.

"I'm sorry. I let my imagination go too far." Blake apologized once more.

Taurus' hand kept caressing her raven mane until the cat faunus felt better. Deep down, he found it funny how Sienna and Blake had been battling to stay by his side. However, his choice had always been the same. By staring at her amber eyes he was sure that Belladonna was the partner he needed in his life. She was the perfect combination of all he needed in his life: vitality, beauty, serenity, compasion, softness, drive… She had all his five senses conquered, especially now that their bodies were so close.

"Can we make up for the time we've lost this week?" The caf faunus asked, already knowing that he couldn't say no to her wishes.

She leaned forward to kiss his lips in a slow dance where both burned for several minutes. By the way his hands clawed on her body, Blake knew that it was all she could have asked for.

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:** (Sorry if the answers are brief. I have to go to sleep)

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** Next drabble is the Halloween special so wait for it, I'll post it between 31th Oct and 1st Nov. It's going to be very intense!

 **Sassylittlebird:** Thank you for reading. I still can't believe how I never came up with the teacher x student AU idea until somebody requested. It's justo to Adam x Blake thing.

 **emmaleewhittaker:** Taking notes of all your ideas, they're useful even if I don't come up with a only story with all of them inside. I have something special for Halloween considering some ideas you said lately on the reviews. Something about vampires you said...? a Enemys to lovers troupes maybe? You'll see, I think you'll love it!

 **Princess-Sera:** I did pass my driver license test! Now I'm waiting for the license to arrive! As I said previously, if you have ideas about teacher/student AUs tell me because it's a terve I'd like to explore more.

 **merendinoemiliano:** Thanks, friend.

 **A/N:** Next Halloween I'll be posting this year's Halloween's special drabble so there's no poll this week! (Not that I have something ready either...) I promise it will be good!

Frozenheart7


	44. Kiss me to death

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Kiss me to death

 **Summary:** [Halloween special] For years, the White fang, a vampire clan, and the Black Claw, the faunus organization the Belladonna's founded, had been in peace living on the same island. However, when they thought that vampires and faunus could live together, all of a sudden a splinter group begins to attack civilians, murdering them by feeding themselves with their blood. Now Blake Belladonna is the one in charge of the Black Claw and needs to find the new leader that encourages the vampires to kill faunus. Will she be the first to win and discover the mysterious vampire's identity? Or will she be cornered by the vampire clan once she less expects it?

 **Rating:** M

 **A/N:** One point for whoever that finds a Shadowhunters reference! I got inspired on the Netflix series, concretely the Isabelle x Raphael arc where they both share a romantic/addictive story.

* * *

It was her night off on the Black Claw. She was done chasing the vampires from the White Fang for the day. Lately, the organization she inherited from her father had been very busy. The city of Kuo Kuana had been infested with a dangerous crew of vampires that liked to feed themselves with faunus blood. From time to time, the Black Claw managed to control the vampire population, in his days even her father managed to make an agreement between species. But nowadays the dialogue was out of the question as many frontiers were crossed and the lines were erased. The vampires were out of control, but Blake's personal life too, so she needed a free night to enjoy her personal life and exit the hideout for once. If it hadn't been for the unknown leader that had motivated the vampires on the island to return to the blood hunt, the Black claw would only make annual meetings with the diverse species tribes to make arrangements and agreements.

However, destiny wasn't willing to let go of Blake so easily. As soon as the cat faunus tried to get up from her desk of the main common room, one of her partners gave an alert.

"Another attack registered on the maritime suburbs." Ilia announced and all of the Black Claw members were immediately reunited around her computer to see the images that had been sent from the police. There was a savage vampire out of control. The thing was that before showing his fangs out, he wasn't noticeable as a vampire. That was why vampire hunting was a secret and complicated job that not anybody could do. There was a lot of research and training to do to accomplish a single assignment.

Nevertheless, the Black Claw had only one objective in mind: Find the rebel leader that encouraged the vampires to attack the faunus.

"This is just a pawn." Belladonna told to everyone, pointing at the freezing image of the vampire attacking a faunus who walked the streets alone. "Once we find the King Tajitsu's head, this violence will be over. However, it won't be easy… the leader is smart and invisible."

Everybody listened carefully to Blake as she gave instructions for tonight's investigation. Since her father had been the founder, everybody respected her on the vampire hunters organization. She was the most experienced member, born into it. Basically the leader, but she didn't like to use that word as it gave an inferior connotation to all of her partners. She ordered them to stay in the subterraneous hideout from where they controlled the streets and the vampire's criminal activity. They didn't even know the number of vampires that formed the White Fang but they were dangerous and it was important to maintain the identity of the vampire hunters under secret.

"You heard Belladonna. Everybody get to work." Ilia said once her best friend finished the discourse.

The vampire hunters returned to work. Their subterraneous hideout had everything provided so they could work from the shadows: weapons, tech, cameras, medicine, equipments, radars… Blake tried to not make any member go to the street unless it was necessary. They either needed to have a good hint between hands so they could catch a member or had to keep the streets safe from an expected attack. However, Belladonna was tired and bored of being locked underground in a base with computers working, so, after two weeks without having time for herself, she finally packed up to return home.

"So, what's your plan for tonight?" Ilia asked her once the others were far enough for them to have some intimity and talk as friends.

"I have a date." Blake confessed, excited as she had her romantic life abandoned lately. She pulled out her phone and opened a dating app, it was the only way she had to flirt while being between walls working. She zoomed in the profile photo of a very handsome bull faunus. "Look, it's him. We have to meet in an hour to have a romantic dinner in a restaurant."

"Be careful out there, Blake." The chameleon faunus advised as she took the phone between her hands to admire the date her best friend had. She zoomed in a photo he was showing his nude torso and let out an amazed sigh. "And be careful with him too, with a body like that…"

The cat faunus stole her phone from Ilia's hands and put it back inside her bag. She had seen enough.

"I will. Promise me you'll work hard to find the identity of the leader from here." Belladonna made her swear before leaving. It was a way she could leave without having to worry and willing to disconnect from the shadow world.

"Done." The chameleon faunus nodded to the brunette. "And you promise me that you'll have the fun I can't have down here."

"I'll keep you informed." Belladonna sentenced and looked around the room to check that everything was on its place. In effect, there was nothing out of place, with her in command it was impossible. Once she made sure everything would be alright without her, she sighed out in relief. "Wish me good luck."

Ilia surely did and didn't take her eyes off her friend's silhouette until she exited the vampire hunter's base. It was she who insisted on Blake having a night off for herself even though this time she decided to share it with a blind date.

She got to work, now having to carry the weight of her job and Blake's on her pair of shoulders. She continued where her best friend left the investigation: family trees. As the Belladonnas had info about the last agreement made between faunus and vampires, they had been tracing the biological boundaries inside the vampire's tribe, trying to search the origin of the White Fang. Being vampires almost immortal, it was hard to tell who passed away and who decided to have more and more children inside those families. Despite the complications and details needed, Amitola felt that she was near the root of the problematic.

* * *

They had really spent a wonderful evening. The restaurant he had chosen couldn't be more romantic and intimate. The table was surrounded by candles and they were in a private area of the building's main yard. The ambiance was cold and Blake was glad she wore a white velvety jacket that complimented her elegant purple dress.

"The deserts you ordered: a cherry bombshell for the gentleman and the vanilla cake for the lady. Enjoy." The waitress interrupted and Belladonna got out from her internal reasoning as they served them the deserts.

The whole dinner had been special. Her date, Adam, was very polite and intelligent. She could talk to him about anything, well, except her job since the info was confidential. The cat faunus really liked the way he treated her, not crossing a line and limiting himself to know her furthermore from the messages they sent before meeting. Blake had never used a dating app before but since her romantic life was a mes she had no other option to try to fulfill that aspect. And she had been lucky to found Adam and not some sick pervert or a fake profile with somebody darker behind it. For once, Belladonna was happy and comfortable beside a man, having a romantic dinner and not ditching the opportunity to go to her house and reach a higher point with him.

"Do you want to taste it?" Adam asked her, breaking the chocolate ball and letting the cherry juice flow out of it. Unconsciously, the sight made her remember ger job and how the vampires… It was best to forget about it.

"No, thank you, Adam." She rejected his offer, the red river coming out of the chocolate made her stomach close. "If you want we can share mine." She offered instead to not look frigid with him.

The bull faunus smiled and with the spoon cut a piece of the cake. However, instead of bringing it to his mouth, he leaned forward and placed it in front of Blake. She smiled at his action, feeding her was too cheesy but she liked it anyway since the lack of these kind of things made her miss actions like that. She wouldn't complain. After she brought the cake to her mouth, he repeated the same process but this time he tasted it too.

"It's sweet." Taurus concluded. "But not as sweet as you, darling." He added afterwards with a malicious smile.

Those words should have made her blush as she liked the compliment. However, the sight of how he ate the cherry bombshell made the cat faunus lose the color of her rosy cheeks. Adam saw the lack of answer and examined hdr expression.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, seeing her lost in her thoughts again.

"I-..." What was she going to tell him? Break the confidentiality contract and explain that she was a vampire hunter that hated seeing blood and that his deserts reminded her of a vampire preying on a faunus? That was absurd. "I need to go to the bathroom. Give me a minute."

She left her date sitting on the table as she excused herself to the bathroom. She thanked seeing that inside there was no other lady than her. Blake stared at herself in the mirror and saw how pale she was. The odds of her job were those, she had seen horrible monstrosities and a single image could trigger the memory… But she had to get through it and return out there before Adam could think she was crazy. So, she splashed some water on her face, fixed her hair and smiled at her reflection before exiting the bathroom to return to her table. However, she found Taurus standing up, expecting her. The table was empty and the candles were lit anymore. What did just happen? Was he going to leave her?

"What happened?" Belladonna asked, pointing at the empty table.

"I thought maybe you needed some air and I told the waitress to get us a table on the garden. Do you mind?" He replied, offering her his arm so they could walk side by side. Blake smiled at his attentions for her. These details made him a gentleman.

"Perfect." She sentenced and accepted his arm while they walked outside the restaurant. "It's just that I think I have eaten too much… some air will help." The cat faunus told him.

The garden was the perfect intimate location in the whole island. In the middle of it there was a fountain with flowers on its water. On its stones there were two pillows and in front the table with their deserts. They walked through a stone path that made contrast with the dark grass and bushes outdoor the restaurant. The whole garden was litten up by chandeliers of coloured crystals that reflected different shades of the rainbow on the darkness of the night. The sight was enchanting and it made Blake look up to his date, who now was considered by here more than perfect for her spectations. They sat up on the stones of the floral fountain and Belladonna looked through the water to discover some fishes swimming by, as colorful as the flowers and leaves floating on its liquid.

When she met her ice blue partner's ice again, she noticed the haunting way he stared at her. Could it be that finally after so much work she could have found love?

Adam had the qualities she searched in a man. She repeated that in her head twice as he gently caressed her face and traveled his fingers up to her mane to caress its texture. He was caring, romantic, considerate, empathic, a good listener and also a talker. What could go wrong with him? It was strange to not see some defect on him, and even more talking about Blake, who always saw the perks of everything. Maybe it was too early to find his defects. And with that, she allowed to convince herself about how perfect Adam was.

"Would you be up for some drinks afterwards?" She asked when they finished their deserts.

However, before he could give her an answer, the beeping of her mobile phone interrupted their moment. Blake gave a brief apology and saw Ilia's name on the screen of the phone. The cat faunus gave a look at her date and then back to the phone. Amitola would never call for something small, it maybe was important indeed. However, she was ina date and it was the worst timing ever. She was waiting for Adam to say 'yes' and if he acceded to go home and have a drink it would grant her a night of fun.

"I'm going to pay." He said, putting his hand on hers to catch her attention as the phone kept ringing. "We can go to your home if you want."

He got up and even when he walked back inside, Blake couldn't still believe what happened. He had accepted her invitation, a clear declaration of intentions from her part. She was so amazed that she hung up the call and instead opted to send a brief text so her friend wouldn't worry:

"Taking him home tonight. I'll fill you up tomorrow." Was all she wrote before returning indoors where her date was already expecting her to go home.

* * *

The chameleon faunus had been investigating since Blake had left. She was usually the one in charge of that duty and saw how brilliant had been all of her research since that night, but Amitola saw weak points in everything she managed to discover of the White Fang clan. With her point of view, Ilia was convinced that she could fill the spots her best friend couldn't be able to fulfill. Sometimes, there was needed another person to notice details that the other would ignore. And the new focus she gave at the investigation gave its fruits.

While Blake had been investigating the family tree of the former leader of the vampire clan, the one who made the pact with her father, Ilia tried to focus in other discreet branches. As the night passed, she went through all the members of the White Fang to reconstruct the roots of it and reach their actual years and discover the descendants and possible brains behind the new rebellion and as a consequence the broken pact between faunus and vampires.

The fact that Ilia reached some vampires that had been recently eliminated by Blake for attacking civilians made her believe she was right. The actual generation of vampires was fearless and ruthless despite being their same age. There were a lot of possibilities of who could ignite a rebellion inside the White Fang but she couldn't figure a way to discover the great leader that encouraged the vampires to feed themselves from faunus so that way they could increase their lifetime. If that kept happening and the vampires continued drinking faunus blood, the population of faunus would eventually disappear and the vampires would be the only species on Menagerie.

They could keep chasing the rebel vampires that killed faunus, of course. But that method was slow, too risky because if a single one of them survived and kept hidden in the shadows, in a few years the descendants could do the same thing and the vampire clan would become a permanent problem.

An image popped on the screen as Ilia searched in the newborn registers. It was the particular case of a couple that gave light to a peculiar child. A son of a vampire father and a faunus mother…

"Impossible." Amitola exclaimed, not believing the article that appeared when she searched up in internet for the surname. "Well, they often say love doesn't have barriers but…"

Ilia kept investigating on the love story a vampire and a faunus shared. It happened a long time ago when the pact between the Black Claw and the White Fang was made. Such stability between species allowed the love to flow between them. It created a lot of polemic since the child belonged to both species and nobody knew which side he'd have to choose. Such problematic gave the chameleon faunus enough curiosity to keep searching and searching since she found and incredible coincidence.

One of the first victims of the White Fang since the rise of the rebellion had been the mother of that half blood child. The thirst of blood of the father drove him mad and killed his wife to satisfy it. Or that was what the report said.

What happened after the death of the mother? The husband was a vampire and the half blood child had to remain under his care. Ilia searched for the name of the child on the identity registers of the island. What she found out froze her blood.

"Blake's in danger!" Amitola yelled, her heart racing like crazy. "I have to call her now!"

The chameleon faunus phoned her on the mobile she used for her personal life and not work. That way she'd know it was something very important and she would pick it up despite being on a date. However, after the beeping of the line, Ilia found out that she was wrong. She wasn't answering. Could it be that it was too late?

Ilia looked a second time at the image on the screen. The half blood child was a red-haired man with black horns and icy blue eyes. It was the same man Blake was dating tonight and it was a coincidence that couldn't be a destiny bad joke. The Black Claw had been trying to found the leader but the White Fang had been faster than them and now they had Blake in check mate.

Ilia's mobile phone rang after a minute of the call. It was Blake and her brief response was: "Taking him home tonight. I'll fill you up tomorrow."

Ilia got up from her desk and opened the weaponry closet, grabbing a pistol with pure silver bullets. The other members of the Black Claw that were working that night stared at Blake's second hand with curiosity. The chameleon faunus, for once, had to stand up and make her role of brain behind the whole organization.

"Everybody listen: Our leader is in danger and I'll need more eyes and ears out there to help me." Ilia sentenced, putting a single headphone on one of her ears and a small microphone on the neck of her uniform. "If we work together we'll be stronger."

The coordination of the Black Claw was to be admired. In just minute, their dispositives were synchronized and Ilia was ready to set off on her single mission: stop Adam Taurus.

"Looks like I'll have to go to Blake's home too…" She sighed while struggling to keep her head cool and heart calm. She couldn't lose a friend like her, she wouldn't.

* * *

The candles were already lit and Belladonna still hadn't realized under what kind of enchantment the vampire had submitted her. They had been enjoying some drinks on her apartment, creating a romantic atmosphere before both of them could intimate. He had her on his arms, laying her head on his shoulder, her neck exposed. His fingers were gently brushed up and down her skin as he swallowed saliva, trying to hold on and be patient before his meal. He found, surprisingly, that the leader of the Black Claw was a very polite lady, almost a good companion for him. It was a pity that she would be his next victim. Even if he wouldn't want to do it, it was too late. Her faunus scent and the touch of her skin with his had intoxicated him, waking up his hunger for blood.

For everything she had been telling, Taurus figured that Blake had been a lonely person during a lot of time. And he knew that all those months she had spent were in the secret hideout of the Black Claw, trying to find him without succeeding. That was why he had found her, because she had a heart and needed some love from time to time. That was the difference between a vampire like him and a weak faunus woman like her. Their capacities as leaders of opposite clans were similar, for sure. But she had been the first to commit a mistake and that brought her to his deadly arms.

His fingers sneaked in her chest, touching the tender flesh of the beginning of her breasts. Belladonna moaned out in pleasure. It satisfied him as he had always enjoyed a pleasurable death than a fearful one. She was like an enchanted butterfly flying towards the fire that would kill her.

She finally sat up to face him, their lips very close. Adam, however, pretended that he was teasing her and leaned back, opting to kiss her neck and jaw instead of her mouth. She submitted and embraced his neck, breathing him in. Taurus, as much as he didn't want to admit, also submitted somehow as the contact with the skin where her main vein was gave him more and more thirst.

"Why don't we move to my bed?" She asked, perfect timing as he was becoming more and more hungry for her.

She didn't have to ask a second time. Adam lifted Blake in his arms and moved towards the end of the hallway, where he could see a bed in the darkness. He dropped her on the couch and lit the bedside table to appreciate her expression in the moment he showed himself as a vampire. However, he kept kissing and playing with her body and he allowed her to do the same with him. It had never happened before, he'd usually devour the blood of his victim at the second being vulnerable. He made himself believe that it was because she was the leader of the Black Claw and he wanted to enjoy his victory. Nevertheless, he ignored that maybe he was more like his father than he wanted to admit, who he despised because of his marriage with a faunus.

"Oh, Adam…" She moaned as he sucked on her chest, making her lean forward so he could unzip the back of her elegant dress.

Naked under him, Belladonna felt more alive than ever. Yes, her job was a risky one and it made adrenaline run through her veins but being with a man in bed made her remember that she was also human and needed attention from time to time.

"Quiet." He ordered as he descended down to suck on her legs, from her ankles to her thighs. He had never tasted a skin so tender, pale and sweet as Blake's and the pleasure it gave was making him have a good time. The blood of a vampire hunter should taste so pure…

"Kiss me, Adam." She begged once he reached her stomach. He lifted his body up and faced her. Once she tasted his mouth, she would find his fangs and figure out the truth.

"You asked for it." He purred and finally allowed their mouths to meet.

In the moment her tongue touched his pair of sharp fangs, Blake figured to what kind of enchantment the vampire had been submitting her too. The strategy of a coward, who had to access her heart and then leave her naked so he could take advantage of her vulnerable form instead of going for her one night after work in the streets. That proved her that he considered her a formidable enemy since his strategy showed that he didn't dare encountering her in a fight. However, the mistake had been hers for letting her guard down. But the horns im his head were real, how was it possible that her date was a faunus and a vampire at the same time.

Her hands gripped at his shirt, trying to push him off. Belladonna knew the consequences a vampire bite could have, and death wasn't the worst of them. Nevertheless, her efforts weren't worthy as he was in the dominant position and had the control over her whole body. Only when he read terror in her expression and felt satisfied, let their mouth separate.

"Stop right now and I'll let you live under jury." Blake tried to convince him, but the fear reflected in her eyes betrayed her.

"You remind me of my mother." He mocked at her, with his hand on her neck keeping her in place. "So stupid, weak and sentimentalist, a faunus." He revealed.

"You're half blood?" The cat faunus asked, not fully comprehending that Adam was indeed the leader of the White Fang she had been searching for so long.

Her words were silenced by a rough push on her neck that blocked the air down her throat.

"Don't call me that in such respectless way." He warned at her cat ears, pressing her down even more, hurting her pale skin. "After all, this is why I've achieved to reach you, Belladonna."

Blake had to admit it: he had her trapped. She had to figure out a way to escape but she was in the worst scenario possible: locked indoors of her own home, alone and undressed. Completely vulnerable, she denied accepting her fate. Her fingers finally found what she had been searching for under the pillow. Even though she could cut herself, the cat faunus gripped it with all of her strength.

"You'll regret manipulating me." She hissed, with all the pain possible, as he was about to bite down on her neck.

Blake took the wooden stake from under the pillow, her hidden place to keep a weapon to protect herself in case something happened. She was self-conscious about what dangers supposed to be the leader of the Black Claw and of course she prevented them, having several weapons around her house was a way to protect herself in case some vampire tried to attack her. The unexpected thing about all of this was that Adam reached her heart to tear her down before attacking her. For once, the cat faunus regretted being a female faunus, a fact that made her be vulnerable and sentimentalist as Taurus compared her with his mother.

The stake, however, never managed to hit him. Without even looking up, the vampire managed to stop and catch her wrist. The strength he applied on her bones was brutal and it made her scream and drop the wooden stake, her only resource to escape from him. His eyes met hers, and Blake was able to finally see his truly form as full vampire now that his instincts were awaken. His fangs were sharp and white, the tips of them surpassed his mouth. And his eyes, the most scary thing and powerful weapon he had, were red. The cat faunus trembled at the sight and started to move, trying to flinch away from the weight of his muscular body. But he had been faster, a natural vampire quality, and he had managed to capture both wrists above her head with one hand and with the other press both sides of her jaw.

"You deserve a worse destiny than death." He sentenced, and by staring at his red pupils, Blake began to weaken for his hypnosis. She felt sleepy each time more as his mouth traveled to her neck once more. "Now hush, you'll be my main meal. If you behave I'll give you some deserts." She heard him say in a distant echo as his hands caressed her once she was half-asleep.

As his fangs bit her, she felt his venom run through her veins. She couldn't let him manipulate her but the liquid they were exchanging would make her submit down to his will even without making eye contact. Belladonna kept fighting him in her mind, but eventually she reached a point where his voice was all she could hear as he ordered her to close her eyes and enjoy.

* * *

Ilia didn't need to break down the door. She knew where left a spare key, under the stool of the entrance door. She opened it, revealing the entrance to Belladonna's house. The chameleon faunus advanced carefully, listening with care to any sound that could alarm her. The home was in absolute silence. Could it be that she had arrived late? No matter her alarmed heart, Amitola needed to follow the protocol established instead of hurrying when someone was under threat. However, that quietness and darkness in Blake's living room was giving her best friend the worst impression.

The chameleon faunus equipped the gun with silver bullets and advanced through the obscure corridor. The door that led to her dorm was half-open. A small light was at the end of it, showing that someone had lit the bedside lamp. With her foot, Ilia pushed the door open to reveal a dark shadow preying on the small body of her feline friend.

"Blake!" Amitola yelled with all the strength on her vocal chords. Was it too late?

The dark tall shadow immediately got up, leaving the bloody Blake on her bed, unconscious apparently. As it advanced, the light revealed a bloody mouth with two sharp fangs. The vampire's eyes were shining red, a sign that his true form was revealed. Ilia had never encountered such type of vampire, a half blood, with qualities of both species: vampire and faunus. Despite this fact, she was sure that the infallible silver bullets would be enough to bring him down.

"My lucky night…" Taurus mocked, seeing another vampire hunter to finish. "What do you think you'll accomplish with that toy gun?"

Amitola stared for a moment at her pistol. Could it be that it may not have any effect on him due to his mixed blood? She had no other option to face him, there was one way to know. Just for a strategy to confuse her she wouldn't give up. So, with determination filling her chest, the chameleon faunus aimed at the vampire's chest and readied a load of silver. Adam smiled and held his arms up in the air, showing himself vulnerable, as if he were ready to show her that nothing would kill him. So, finally, Ilia had no other decision than pull the trigger and shoot.

"No!" Blake's feminine yelled echoed along with the shot that rang.

The intoxicated Belladonna quickly got up from the bed where she had seemed to lay unconscious and ran towards the vampire to stand in front of him. The bullet impacted with her shoulder as she took the silver for him. Ilia saw with horror how the now even more bloody figure of her best friend fell to the floor. And as the shock had gis effect on both vampire hunters, Taurus disappeared with a last whisper on Blake's head: "red looks so good in you, my dear."

Ilia no longer cared about the fugitive leader of the White Fang. She let him escape to ran to help her fallen friend. Kneeled on the floor, Amitola activated the code red through the internal radio as she tried to check on the vital signals of the cat faunus. For her surprise, Blake was still alive with some strength left on her body. The blood loss was weakening her but the shot hadn't been critical as the bullet was still nailed on her nude shoulder. Her skin was paler than ever and the marks of a pair of fangs were turning darker with each second that passed, turning Belladonna Adam's property with his vampiric venom that had controlled her last actions.

"Why did he leave me?!" The cat faunus cried out, trying to stop the blood flow from her neck. She was hurt for Taurus loss, something common on vampire attack victims that managed to survive. It was rare but luckily there existed a solution to erase the vampire fang's venom out of her sistem.

"He has intoxicated you." Ilia told her, holding her shaky body in her arms as they waited for vampire hunters to come and help her. "Don't move, it will pass soon. I swear." A worried friend promised.

And as they waited for backup to come and heal the hurt leader, Belladonna heard how his voice was still stuck on her head, ready to manipulate her whenever he pleased.

* * *

After a week of treatment, the cat faunus felt much better. Her shoulder was still healing with stitches but it hadn't been the most complicated thing to cure. Her intoxication and addiction to the vampire fang venom had been driving her crazy for a few days. Luckily, in the Black Claw lab they had managed to do a treatment based on past victim's cases. Belladonna took some pills whenever she felt anxious, a symptom of the addiction she felt towards her owner's venom. It was a burning need that had been slowly vanishing but that could be deadly as she was a vampire hunter and was constantly in contact with that specie. The temptation to ask one to bite her and alleviate the need was too dangerous to riak, so she had spent one week at home resting.

For the vampire's venom annihilation she needed to be injected with a serum to neutralize its serum. It did help along with the addiction pills since the total elimination of the venom out of the system would end her suffering.

Ilia had come to visit each day even though Blake promised her that she was fine on her own, resting at home. However, it was pleasant to have her at home to make her company even though Belladonna knew that furthermore it was a procedure made inside her organization to make sure that the victim was medicating and not having contact with any vampire that could take advantage of the effect of the venom. Being the leader of the Black Claw, she had clear what risks could represent having usual contact with vampires and their venom, so they had nothing to worry about. Or so they thought.

That night Blake finally could sleep without having nightmares or hearing echoes of Adam's voice. It was a positive sign since it meant that the medicine was starting to make a remarkable effect on her body. Probably it was why he came back.

"Wake up."

Blake opened her eyes immediately. Scared, she sat on her bed and looked around, searching the source of the voice. She had no longer sensed him in her sleep, why now she could hear him as clearly as the first day? Her eyes stopped at the window. It was open and the wind was flowing out of it. She always closed them and even more after the attack. But if it was open and she could sense him again that meant one thing: he had managed to enter her home.

As the cat faunus got up, she tried to search among the shadows to identify his figure but her eyes weren't capable to find him. She could sense him near and it triggered her need for him. She felt anxiety running up her chest as the feeling of having his eyes on her increased. She couldn't fall for it, she had to be ready to confront him.

So, going against her own body and instincts, the cat faunus got up and walked to her bathroom. She lit the light and checked around once more, not finding anything but the sensation not disappearing. It needed to come to an end or she would end crazy. And there was only solution: the emergency kit.

Belladonna opened the mirror and found the small box inside. Her trembling fingers opened the box and took out a large syringe with a concentrated serum. It could only be used in an emergency case but it was. Adam had sneaked inside her department and the symptoms were returning even being still on treatment. It was her only option, inject herself and hope that it erased his influence on her.

The cat faunus closed the box, now empty, and searched for the bite on her neck to inject the serum. However, the reflection on the mirror showed something that hadn't been behind her before. Two red eyes lurking out of the shadows.

Blake's first instinct was turn around and use the syringe as weapon. It could have been useful if the vampire reflexes Adam possesed didn't stop her. He revealed his figure out into the light of the bathroom as they struggled to have the power of the serum in their hands.

"Let go, my darling." Taurus ordered at Blake as she felt how with his order her grip on the syringe loosened. He still had influence over her and by seeing that he was still on control, he smirked, showing his sharp fangs. "Good girl." He muttered once her hand let go of the serum.

Belladonna watched horrified how Adam dropped the serum and destroyed the syringe by stepping on it. Once he was done and the liquid was scattered on the bathroom floor, his red eyes pierced her. The cat faunus avoided the eye contact as it was a subtle way to submit her to his control.

"Look at me, Blake." He ordered. She turned her head to face him but her will made her close her eyes. She still showed rebellion against him but he was convinced that it would only be temporal. "I said: look at me." He ordered, this time with stronger will.

Her eyes met his and she felt herself falling into his hypnotic trance. The defiance, however, was still drawn on her expression even though she couldn't disobey.

"Where are your pills? Let me see them." Was his first order.

He let go of her and her body moved, opening the mirror to grab the pills from the Black Claw that helped her with the addiction to the venom. Now that he was beside her, she felt the need to take one but her fingers couldn't move without Adam's permission.

"Drop them into the sink." He tested her with such symbolic action. Obeying would mean that she would be at his complete mercy. And she wouldn't have none control over herself.

Belladonna's trembling fingers opened the box of pills as her feet moved towards the sink. She inclined the box with her hand shaking and the pills slowly slid down, falling into the sink. Then, she let the water run down, making the pills disappear down into the pipes. She let out an involuntary sigh of desperation as she saw how her only solution to his control disappeared before her eyes. His presence lurked behind her, tangling his arms around her waist and leaning his chin on her head.

"That's the obedient Blake I want to see." He praised her obedience, his fingers rubbing up and down the barrier between her skin and the end of her short pajama.

"You're more like your father than you think." She suddenly muttered but Adam could hear her since his hearing was improved.

"Of course I am. A powerful vampire like him." He mocked, analyzing why she was running her mouth out to him in that way. It was clear that she had been investigating him since their encounter.

"You despised your mother for being weak but you father also was for depending of her blood and body as you are doing now with me-..."

Blake was cut by the vampire's hand on her neck, cutting both blood flow and oxygen. With his brutal strength, he lifted her feet from the floor and threw her outside the bathroom, her body falling to the floor and sliding a few meters until she was hit by the edge of the bed. The cat faunus gasped out for air as he paced towards her. The friction with the floor had hurt her but even more his fingers tightening her neck. She was terrified but had just discovered his weak point: he was self-conscious about being a halfblood, as if having a faunus mother was a dishonor. It probably was inside the White Fang community. However, he still was the most strong leader inside the vampire clan.

"I'm using you because you're an important piece of the game and by having you under my finger I'll win the score." He explained to her as he made her stand with a rough pull, treating her as a broken doll.

He pushed her back into the bed, making her lean down as he crawled in the couch, approaching her body. She was trapped but words were her weapon even though they weren't deadly. He cornered her, kneeling on top of her, watching how her chest moved up and down rapidly due to her fear. He observed his bite mark, a sign that she was his over everybody else.

"I may be under your control." She whispered. "But you also want my blood, you need me too."

He chuckled at her words, showing his sharp fangs once more. The slight purple liquid on the tips was tempting her.

"You talk as if you had some kind of control over me. You don't, my beloved. I'll prove it to you." He assured her.

She unconsciously showed her neck at him once his lips were brushed against her skin, feeling how her body asked her to get bit by the vampire. She needed a dose of venom, having him a few centimeters from her face was making it difficult to resist. He noticed it and licked his lips, bringing his fingers up to her face to take out plucks of hair that covered partially her neck. With a caress of his fingertips she moaned and he enjoyed her reactions while playing his wicked game.

"You don't want me to bite you even though your body is begging for it." He explained at her. "I want your blood and I don't care about the consequences. I crave you and that's my will, the only thing that matters. That's the difference between us."

He kept on teasing her will to prove her that she was weak and pathetic, completely submitted at his mercy. His lips got slightly open to lick her neck, with his fangs scratching her skin, leaving slight red bruises. It was also tempting for him as her veins were so close to his mouth but he had trained her thirst and self-control. Belladonna, instead, had never experienced vampire venom addiction and was dying to have a rush of him.

When he tried to sit up, her hands didn't allow him to get any further. She was pulling him against her skin so her need could be satisfied.

"I'll bite you with one condition." He negotiated. "You'll cover up the bitemarks so they won't know we're meeting." His tone wasn't of a suggestion, more like an order.

"Okay." Blake whispered in a desperate try to make the anxiety go away.

"As if you could say no." He mocked at her lack of decision.

He searched for a discreet spot on her body that could be easy to cover up. The neck was too obvious and she was already marked there. Her shoulder was already hurt for the shot and it could be easy for somebody to notice it while healing her. He senselessly ripped off her pajamas' upper part and kept examining her. He heard her mutter something as he traced her nude stomach with his palm. He could feel her heartbeats through it.

"Your little heart is beating so hard…are you afraid?" He teased her, playing with the edge of the beginning of her lacy black bra. He licked her pale chest and slid his tongue down to suck on the sensitive skin that was protected by her underwear. "The blood in here is too sweet for my taste." He told her.

Finally, after more teasing and undressing her, he was able to pick a spot. He lifted her hand and smelled her wrist. The blue veins on it were beating hard, bombing her delicious blood. He stared at her before starting, seeing how her amber eyes were starting to crystallize. He kissed her skin while staring, seeing how her worry and defenseless state were mixed with desire and wish.

"I have one last task for you my darling." He added to tease her some more. "You'll pretend nothing happened and on Monday you'll go to the Black Claw and erase all the documents that have my name on it."

"I can't do that." She muttered, it was betraying her family's organization, her specie, her ideals and beliefs, herself… All for him.

"I don't think you'll say the same once I bite you." He sentenced, showing out his fangs and finally holding her steady to begin his feeding.

Once his fangs were nailed on her flesh, the cat faunus felt all the worry and need faded away, bringing her to an absolute relax state. She no longer could hear her inner voice telling herself to resist and not give in to Adam as his venom entered her system to intoxicate her once more. The vampire felt his victim's hands on her back, fingers nailing down on his shoulders. The strength finally disappeared as her body and mind succumbed to his desire. He resisted the thirst and leaned back to stare at her. Her expression was relaxed, blank, lacking of her usual drive. As he licked the tears of blood coming out from the wound, admired how she muttered for more of his love bites.

"Do you want more?" He teased once all the blood from her wrist was cleaned up.

"Adam…" She only moaned, begging for him. "Kiss me."

"Only if you'll do what I asked." Was his only condition.

Belladonna nodded and lifted her head high to give him easy access. The vampire held her chin in his hand, examining how docile and fragile she was right under him. Her mind and will showed total submission but her naked body was trembling. Cold or fear, each option seemed satisfying for the creature of the night.

"One kiss." He warned with a evil grin, his hand descending down to her thighs. "After that I'll finish eating you up."

* * *

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Thank you! So sad you're the only review the last chapter had. Maybe people didn't have time to read everything yet so this Halloween special will be this week's drabble to give time to the other readers to catch up as well as seeing the premiere of Volume 7! Are you excited?

 **A/N** (AGAIN): I have to be sincere, I have nothing ready in time for next week so I don't have a poll with options for you to choose. I'll try to finish a drabble for next weekend in time, the first one that I see that I'm near the end or that I can finish in a week. Since there's no poll, tell me: What kind of drabble would you like to read next week? (Fluff, smutt, mystery, action, crime, family, angst...)

Frozenheart7


	45. Haunted

Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Haunted

 **Summary:** Blake is found left alone after the Fall of Beacon, sacrificing her integrity to keep her friends safe, spending the days running away and trying to forget her fears. She manages to escape but eventually the past comes back to catch on and solve what has been promised.

 **Rating:** M+

 **Warning:** sensitive topics ahead: alcohol, emotional abuse, trauma, ptsd, manipulation… You've been warned. Stay safe and don't read if you think it is too much.

* * *

She had never been a big fan of alcohol. In fact, she never drank but only tasted it before in some White Fang parties. Blake found the burn on her throat too harmful and the acid taste made her want to vomit. However, after everything she had been through, she was drinking up the whole bottle.

"Another." She yelled at the bartender. She had been sitting in front of the bar since the sun rose. And now it was just setting down.

The bartender obliged with pity for the cat faunus but her severe look made him look away instantly. It was either behave rough or be eaten in such shady area. The bar she was in was exclusive for faunus as the other didn't allow her species entrance. Another shot was filled for her but Belladonna know it wouldn't be enough to erase all of her sorrow.

"I'll keep the bottle." Blake muttered, stealing away the alcohol before the bartender would leave. He said nothing and seeing the clients he had it made sense.

The cat faunus stared at the almost empty bottom of the bottle. Her sight was too blurry to read the brand of the alcohol. She drank up all the content left, ignoring the burning heat in her throat and stomach as she swallowed. Finally, the bottle was empty and she was completely drunk until reaching the point of being numb and not feeling nothing, her objective. The bartender retrieved the now empty bottle as Blake leaned down on the wood to rest her head. Everything was spinning around her but at least the tears would be gone now. She had no more tears left to cry at least. And if she did, they would burn because all she had drank in all day were itching cheap liquors.

While her eyes were closed, the echoes of Beacon's fall almost hadn't tormented her. Of course she couldn't erase the whole night with drinks but at least she was too drunk to remember exactly everything that happened. The cafeteria, smoke, fire, blood, grimm creatures… and that horrible mask covering up the face of a real monster.

"Yang…" She muttered, now remembering the flash of the intent her best friend made to try and save her from Adam. But Blake had been damned since she met him, there was nothing that could save her from his obsession. Xiao Long lost her arm for nothing and the way she was repaying her the bravery to stood up for her was run away and abandon her. Maybe she was actually making her a favor, disappearing was the best thing that could happen to everybody. After all, he had made her a promise.

During her slight sleep, guilt disappeared. It was substituted by stomach pain but she preferred feeling it instead of regret. It felt as if knives were piercing her abdomen. Eventually, it made her wake up instantly. She ran as she could outside the building to throw up. The bartender yelled at her, exclaiming the amount of lien she had to pay for everything she had swallowed down her throat. But Belladonna was devastated and ended on the street, outside the bar, kneeled down as she vomited waves of acid liquid. Eventually, the bartender got outside with the bill in hand. However, the cat faunus was too drunk to pay. Leaning on the wall and still on her knees, she kept coughing.

"You owe the bar 41 lien." The bartender sentenced, but she ignored him. "Are you listening? Do you have your wallet here?" He kept asking.

"Leave me alone." Belladonna muttered, feeling how the alcohol level on her body was starting to go down, returning her slowly to her senses. Bad sign.

"I'm just going to grab your wallet and take the lien." The bartender sentenced as he leaned down and sneaked his hand on her pants' pocket.

A hand broke the contact between Blake's bottom and the bartender's hand, who was trying to take advantage of the situation. She heard behind her some struggle and then the sound of the bill ripped apart.

"I'll pay what she's taken and you'll leave us. You've never seen us, is that clear?" A familiar male voice sentenced followed by the sound of a loaded gun threatening. With her cat ears perked, she heard the sound of the lien being counted and then the steps of the bartender going inside.

Finally alone with the stranger, Belladonna tried to look up at him and discover his identity but her sight was still blurry. All she managed to identify were shadows and a male in a long black coat with a hoodie that darkened his expression. She tried to adopt a self defense position but she barely could manage to stand up, failing and falling to her knees again.

"Who are you?" She asked, accepting that in her state her faculties were sloppy and that by her own she couldn't figure out the stranger's intentions.

"Get up." He ordered and pulled the cat faunus by the arm.

Blake was forced to stand on her feet despite the tremble on her legs. She tumbled side to side until her hands met the unknown male's chest. She was too dizzy to escape from it. But she had to unless she wanted trouble. She had to stay alone during her tormentous new life.

"I'll return inside." Belladonna sentenced and tried to walk away but the stranger kept a grip on her wrist.

"You are not going anywhere." He sentenced, his grip now too tight to the point it damaged Blake's skin. "You are coming with me." He added as he started to drag her behind him.

The cat faunus was too wasted to disobey and had no other choice than be dragged behind that man and his dark coat. The sound of his steps seemed somehow familiar, the way his feet moved and how his powerful footprints were left among the path. Her eyes moved up to find his face but she could only see a black hood covering the stranger's head. His hands were gloved and roughly gripped around her wrist. Even if she wrestled, he wouldn't let go of her. That was all she could figure about him by just looking. And she couldn't even get free from him. All she could do was let herself be dragged and trip over her own shoes. When she did, his arms held her body, preventing her to fall to the snowy path. She didn't have any strength left, the contrary of him who effortlessly lifted her from the floor.

"Where are you taking me?!" Blake asked when the unknown tried to lift her feet from the floor to carry her.

"Home." He simply replied, as if he knew her since childhood. The cat faunus tried to move away from him but he ended carrying her over his shoulder.

"I don't have one." She admitted in a sigh but her drunk state didn't let her cry.

"Everybody belongs somewhere." She heard him say. "Or with somebody." She believe he ended the sentence with a low evil tone.

Belladonna just let him carry her as he picked up the pace. She looked up at the distance and saw how they were leaving the urbanization, getting into a path that led to the snowy woods. She was being taken by a stranger and could do nothing about it. She was tired of running and fighting and the effects of the alcohol didn't help. Finally, after minutes of walking in silence, the cat faunus laid her head on his broad shoulder and let herself drift off to sleep.

* * *

The next time she opened her eyes, they were inside a building. The first thing she saw was a Motel announcement through the window, a sign that they had stopped for the night to rest.

"A double one." She heard him say, followed by the sound of keys. She decided to fake she was still asleep since she figured somebody else waa there as well. "Thank you."

Belladonna let him know that she was awake by hitting his back. He kept walking and once they were far from reception, deep entering the hallway, he let her feet touch the ground once more. However, he didn't even give the chance to focus her sight on his face. He kept walking as he expected her to follow him but the cat faunus didn't move an inch. He noticed that and in a matter of seconds and returned back to put his arm around her back and push her forward to walk beside him. She didn't resist again but watched him cautiously.

"This is not home." She sentenced, the drunk tone on her voice less noticeable.

At least her stomach was stable after vomiting. Her head kept spinning but that nap made her feel better than before. Maybe then if things got bad with the stranger she could have the chance to beat him and escape. She still knew nothing about him: identity, intentions, personality… She figured by logic that if he was ordered to track him down he would already have killed her since she had showed herself vulnerable before. Then, what was all of that about? Why was he giving her shelter from the snowy storm outside and her internal one?

They stopped in front of a door with a big seven number in gold at the entrance. He took out the keys, the number carved on them as well, and opened the door. He pushed for her to enter but Belladonna denied it.

"I want some answers." She sentenced, holding herself on her feet by grabbing the doorknob. She wasn't feeling very well...

"Get inside and you will have what you want." He simply replied and with a rough pull made her enter, locking the door behind them to finally be safe and have some privacy.

Her sight was spinning but Belladonna could appreciate anyway the dusty old motel room they were in. The lim light of the bedside table lamp was the only source of clarity on the place but Blake didn't need it due to her faunus senses and nocturne sight. Did he as well possess it?

"Why a double room?" Blake asked when saw the king-sized bed, turning to face him but losing the sense of equilibrium.

His arms catched her once more, saving her from the fall. She faced his strong chest and raised her sight to catch a glimpse of his face. Despite her abilities, she wasn't able to recognize a familiar expression under the darkened hood. However, everything around him gave Blake a sensation she had felt before. His fingers were gripped on her black mane, and by his touch she could confirm that the man who brought her there wasn't unknown to her. Finally, to confirm her suspects, she gripped her fingers on his black hood and pulled the cloth down to reveal his identity.

Blake faced the ice cold blue pupils that once pierced her. Being those same eyes the ones that haunted her, she rubbed her sight to clarify that it wasn't an illusion the alcohol was making her believe. But he was there, standing right in front, holding her posessively.

"A-Adam…" Her voice trembled as her fingers let go of him. After accepting the truth, she began to struggle sloppily enough to not be effective. "Let go of me!" She cried, kicking and scratching him.

With her knee between his legs, she managed to loosen his grip enough for her to escape. However, she was still under the effects of the drink and he was in all his faculties. She was in a clear disadvantage. In a matter of seconds, his arms were around her and his chest against her back.

"Never." He sentenced, his mouth on her ear. "I'll torment you until you give up and accept your fate."

She continued struggling so he let go of her. Without his grip, her weak legs fell to the floor. Her cheek met the cold wooden floor as she breathed in, inhaling the dust between the cracks on the wood panels. All she could see now were his feet, walking away next to the door. For a moment, she thought that he was going to leave and let her locked in there for a while. But the only thing he did was take off his black coat and reveal his usual attire and horns. When he turned, Blake was sitting down on the floor, her breath too quick, clearly panicked in front of the situation. Her amber eyes rose and now could meet his whole tallness.

"What else do you want from me?!" She yelled at him with rage, teeth and fists clenching at both sides of her trembling body. "I'm alone, lost, hopeless… What else do you want to take from me?!" She ended losing the furious strength on her tone and ended talking with a certain hint of desperation.

He felt pity for her, or something similar since he thought that he lost that feeling a while ago. So, he walked forward and held to her his hand, ungloved this time. Her skin touched his palm and he could feel the magic tingling of her touch. Now more intense since she was completely defenseless in his hands.

"I don't understand…" Blake muttered, not trusting his hold as he lifted her.

"You've learned your lesson." He told her with a threatening grip on her arm. "All you are going through was what I experienced when you abandoned me. That's why I'm here." He finished.

Blake took a few seconds to comprehend his words. She stared at him and tried to read if there was something more he wasn't telling her. But all she could sense was twisted pleasure for her suffering. It didn't surprise her. She noticed how Wilt and Blush had been forgotten behind along with his coat, that was unexpected. It was a proof that he wasn't there to punish her and end her life or so it seemed. What was his strategy? What was he trying to tell her? Why couldn't she collect her thoughts and think straight?

"Are you trying to lecture me?" She guessed, getting free from his iron grip and giving some steps backward until her knees met the couch.

Then she paced away from there, her sight not leaving him but at the same time inspecting the room they were in and all the possible routes to escape if something went wrong. There were two windows but were too old to possibly be open smoothly. By the time she tried he would already have caught her. There was also another door that possibly led to a bathroom but she figured there would be no way out from inside there. Maybe if she needed to win some time she could hide in there. But the odds were against her, she had her faculties half awake and she was still feeling dizzy. Being against Adam, she had low possibilities to be successful in escaping. Furthermore, she didn't know where she was and where would she go to escape from him. She had her trapped and Blake blamed herself for being submissive enough and letting herself be vulnerable.

"I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself now that you feel the same I did." He told her, making her pace stop abruptly. She met his cold glance and he approached. "Return to me and I'll erase your solitude."

She read his tone and noticed that he almost begged for it. He made another step forward and Belladonna sheltered herself, crossing her arms over her chest in a defensive stance, knowing she could do nothing against him.

"You are a monster." She spat at him, remembering flashes of the Fall of Beacon. All the Grimm around, being freed from the White Fang ships, the war between students and faunus, his attack on the cafeteria and the flames that had consumed the school…

"I'm the only one that can give you solace." He told her, now closer to her since she had been distracted by remembering the Fall of Beacon. The cat faunus made two steps back, realizing she was almost cornered by him. "I can give you shelter, a home to return." He continued insisting.

Belladonna shook her head and stepped back, not caring about the wall blocking her path. Eventually, his hands were in both sides of her body, blocking any way to escape around the motel dorm. He made her look up at him and she tried to resist his manipulative glance.

"I'm the only one that can understand you, my love. We're both the same. After what you've done in the White Fang, who else could possibly love you?" He pushed and pushed her mentality, trying to break the thin barrier of sanity she had left after everything she had been through.

Blake covered her feline ears and kept whispering 'no' so it could silence the lies that Taurus kept telling her. He pressed forward, speaking and manipulating her emotions so she would give him the answer he had been searching for.

"Stop getting in my head!" She yelled at him, pushing his arm away and walking further to gain some distance.

"No one will ever love you the way I do." He sentenced, not allowing her a moment to cool her head.

"Shut up!" Blake exploded, Adam accomplished the reaction he had been trying to provoke: her breakdown.

She covered her tear-stained face and sat down on the couch of the double bed. She was vulnerable once more in a dangerous situation: locked up in a dorm with his murdered former partner and lover. Taurus slowly took off his usual jacket as the ambience was hot from all the argument. He heard her cries, not even bothering to hide them, and with caution sat beside her on the bed. He had victory closer than ever. Her lonely soul was a few inches away from him and she had just stopped resisting him. It was his chance to make her his once more. And this time, he wouldn't let go of her. If he couldn't have her, nobody would neither.

"Come on now, stop crying. It makes you look sloppy." He tried to hush her by caressing her raven hair. And surprisingly, she leaned her head on the crook of his neck, letting his hands comfort her. "I'll give you everything you need." He kept on washing her brain.

Belladonna's cries slowly vanished as the embrace comforted her. The last embrace she had… She couldn't recall. It had been a long time since somebody gave affection and among all the solitude Adam was the only one providing her care that sheltered her little tortured heart. When she felt comforted, she looked up at his expression. She couldn't read any emotion until his eyes were locked on her mouth. Then she realized that it was too late to fight it back.

Taurus held her together as his mouth was pressed against hers. Belladonna wrestled with him and even got free for an instant that used to crawl away in the bed, but he grabbed her by the hair, pulling her face up so his tongue could clash with hers. She fought him out of her mouth at first, biting his flesh to try and make him leave her. But he didn't stop kissing her deep until he ran out of air.

"I hate you, Adam." Belladonna whispered after that intense kiss.

Adam made her turn so she could face him. Positioning himself in the center of the bed, he pinned her down to show her that he was in control. He played with her some more, biting her neck, nipping at her human ear and licking her cheeks to taste the traces of her salty tears. Then gave her a quick peck on the lips and leaned back, not letting go of her wrists and still sitting on her stomach.

"Make your choice." He ordered, shaking her lightly, pressing her restrained wrists so she would answer him. She didn't and just kept her eyes closed and face turned to one side. "Return to me or die alone, followed by the people you care about."

"Psycho…" She muttered, followed by a sighed cry. "Let me go…" She begged, kicking her legs uselessly. His weight was too much for her petite body to get free.

"That's not an option, my darling." The bull faunus kissed her forehead to calm her and then moved his mouth to her cat ears. "Don't make it so difficult, my love…"

He leaned down and searched for her lips. This time he took it slow, placing small pecks on its corner. Blake tried to turn her head aside but he had all the control over her body. Fighting him had no sense anymore, he would do whatever he wanted with her. He would keep haunting her until she returned. Use every way he had to torture her mind and make her submit. If she managed to ran after this encounter, he would find her anytime soon. Both of them knew it. So, when his harsh lips were pressed against hers, she opened her mouth for him, not even daring to put an obstacle between him and her.

The bull faunus enjoyed the tasted of liquor and submission inside her mouth. He pushed deeper his tongue, not to kiss her but to show how much power he had over her. He felt her gagging and slowed himself, returning to caress her tongue as her extremities stopped fighting him. He knew he finally had her under his control so he risked everything and let go of her wrists only to feel how she gripped his hair and pressed him closer against her. Blake was finally admitting the inevitable, she was his and would always be.

Her hands moved to his muscular arms that were uncovered since he had taken off his jacket. She caressed the form of her muscles and nailed her fingers on them, trying to hurt him some way for he was making he go against her own beliefs. But for him, her sharp kitten claws were nothing compared to the pleasure he felt by having her body under his.

Finally, both opted for a rest and stared at each other. Adam read fear in the cat faunus eyes, not fear of him but of herself and her choice. Her chest was moving up and down heavily due to the lack of air and the hurricane of emotions she was feeling at the moment.

"I'm going to make you mine again." Taurus promised, his hands traveling down to the edge of her shirt just to rip it and expose her thorax's flesh.

Belladonna sighed out in surprise as the cold air crawled through her stomach and chest skin. But it lasted just for a few seconds as his mouth rapidly moved down to kiss all areas. His lips burned her wherever he touched. The cat faunus pulled up his red sleeveless shirt to also undress him and press their half-naked bodies together. The sensation skin-to-skin was too pleasant to deny it and to kept feeling somebody's company, she allowed him to take off her pants and shoes. And then he proceeded to do the same with himself.

"Ride me, my love." He ordered, switching places, making her sit on his lap, giving her the control.

She sat on him and let him invade her body to satisfy his sick desire for her. Belladonna closed her eyes and could just whimper out loud as he controlled her movements, moving her thighs up and down on him. He abused her little body, crossing the line with each thrust. Blake repaid him that by scratching his shoulders and back, leaving a path of red marks. Once the pain was too unbearable and his moans were noticeable, she bit his neck with strength, obtaining no reaction from him except accelerating. They were playing the same game, seeing who could hurt each other more as vengeance by being together. And they would keep playing until one of them ended the other.

"I'll never love you back again…" She promised him in the ear, but that didn't make him stop.

"It was never about love." He sighed out and pushed deeper than she could take, making her scream her lungs out like a wild animal. He thrusted again, willing to go deeper, but she had reached her limit. "It's about not being alone."

"I know." She whimpered, feeling how each time he sharpened his movements to end soon.

She also knew, even though it pained her, that she would chose staying with a monster like him before being alone again.

* * *

 **A/N:** So, no poll this week neither because I have examens and things in Catalonia are a mess and I don't hae a lot of free time to write and have more than one option to post. Sorry for the inconvenience, but you can tell me what do you thik so far of Volume 7, I'll be reading you.

 **Answers to the reviews:**

 **merendinoemiliano:** Yeah, you're right, Volume 7 sounds nice. This is spoiler free, but the plot seems to be slowly improving and the Atlas arc sounds so good, especially for Weiss charater development and maybe faunus activism arc (one that is not involved with the White Fang anymore). Can't wait to see what they've got in store for us this year.

 **Sassylittlebird:** Yeah! You knew the Shadow World as well. I have all the books but no time to read them :c But I think it is a great saga that deserved more.

 **lilkolil:** Happy Halloween as well! (though it is indeed late for me to say it). I appreciate every review, thak you so much for reading me.

 **Blake-Bellabooty97:** It's a good season for RWBY fans, despite the wave of hate that's over the fandom lately. I plan on keep updating, I'm considering updating exclusively on Sundays to have the whole Saturday for the fans to see the episode and then on Sunday have a weekly dosis of fanfiction. I think I'll start doing this, just not this week because tomorrow there are elections in Catalonia (things are a chaos) and I work there so I won't be home until the results are out. That is past midnight, and then I have university. Hope I'll have something ready on time for next week.

 **sPrincess-Sera:** Now that you mention Sun, I do ship Blacksun and I hope it is endgame in the canon but I've realized that i don't have much drabbles on the oven with the love triangle... But I can work something out of an old One-Shot that I left abandoned because it turned out too long for a One-Shot and I didn't want to start a Long-Shot. Thank you for the idea, deeply I wold have liked that there was more Adam x Blake x Sun interactions on the series except for that V5 ending short fight scene.

Frozenheart7


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